The 11th edition of the International Classification of Goods and Services will enter into force on January 1, 2017. This latest edition includes several amendments determined by the Committee of Experts of the Nice Union during its last session early in 2016.
The International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), will apply the new edition of the Nice Classification to all applications for international registration file as of January 1, 2017.
The Bureau will not reclassify the goods and services of an international registration within a renewal proceeding, subsequent designation or any other change filed after December 31, 2016.
Additionally, the Committee of Experts of the Nice Union issued a recommendation to insert the abbreviation "NCL(11-2017)" next to the list of goods and services in the notifications sent to designated Contracting Parties, registration certificates and publications for all international registrations classified according to the eleventh edition of the Nice Classification. The International Bureau of WIPO has announced that they will comply with this recommendation.
Lastly, the classification tool available for the Madrid System, Madrid Goods and Services Manager (MGS), will be updated according to the changes introduced by the newest edition of the Nice Classification.
The MGS has a special function by which trademark applicants and registrants will be able to verify acceptability of list of goods and services in each Contracting Party Office and automatically reclassify goods and services in accordance to the 11th edition of the Nice Classification.
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