1 Relevant Authorities and Legislation

1.1 What is the relevant trade mark authority in your jurisdiction?

The relevant authority is the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).

1.2 What is the relevant trade mark legislation in your jurisdiction?

The most pertinent legislation is the Industrial Property Law (IPL).

2 Application for a Trade Mark

2.1 What can be registered as a trade mark?

In accordance with article 89 of the IPL, all visible signs can be protected, provided that they are sufficiently distinctive and able to identify the products or services to which they apply or intended to apply with respect to those in the same class.

2.2 What cannot be registered as a trade mark?

Olfactory and sound trade marks cannot be protected in Mexico.

The limitations as to what cannot be protected as a trade mark are established in article 90 of the IPL, which is a list of prohibitions and the only legal source for rejecting a trade mark application. These prohibitions include:

  • marks that are identical or confusingly similar to previously registered marks or marks for which registration is pending or applied to the same or similar products or services;
  • descriptive and generic marks;
  • geographic indications and names of places that are characterised by the manufacture of certain products; and
  • three-dimensional forms of common usage, or because said form is imposed by its nature or industrial function.

2.3 What information is needed to register a trade mark?

The following information is required:

a) An applicant's full name and street address, including town and country.

b) Identification of the trade mark.

c) Description of goods or services.

d) Use in commerce in Mexico. Non-use basis applications are allowed under Mexican law, since use in commerce is not a requirement for obtaining registration. However, if the trade mark is already in use in Mexico, it is recommended to provide the full date (day, month and year). This first use information becomes relevant for the applicant to be afforded priority rights over future applicants who eventually intend to challenge the registration based on use of a similar trade mark covering similar goods or services.

e) Factory address, business address or commercial establishment (if the mark is in use in Mexico).

f) Convention priority: if convention priority is to be claimed, it is required to provide the country of origin, application number, the date of filing and the exact description of goods and services.

2.4 What is the general procedure for trade mark registration?

Once the applications are filed before the IMPI, it takes from four to seven months for the IMPI to conduct the relevant examinations. The first is the formalities examination, whereby the IMPI reviews that all of the formal requirements (information and documents) have been met, and verifies the correct classification of the products/services it is intended to protect. If any formal information or documents are missing, or if the products/services are not correctly classified, a requirement from the examiner regarding formalities will be issued, granting a two-month term that can be automatically extended for a further two months to comply with such requirements. The second examination refers to the relative grounds examination (prior rights on record) and absolute grounds for refusal examination (inherent registrability of the mark). Thus, if prior rights are revealed or an objection concerning inherent registrability of the mark is foreseen, the IMPI would issue an official action, granting a two-month term that can be automatically extended for a further two months to respond thereto.

2.5 How can a trade mark be adequately graphically represented?

For design or composite marks it is necessary to provide a clear print thereof. If specific colours are to be claimed, then the label must clearly show the colours. For three-dimensional marks, it is necessary to submit a photograph showing the three dimensions in the same photo (high, wide and front-back).

2.6 How are goods and services described?

Under Mexican Law and Practice, class headings can be claimed; however, when specific goods or services are not mentioned in particular within the class heading, it is strongly recommended to provide a description including each specific good or service to be protected, using the names of products or services exactly as they appear in the Nice Classification List.

2.7 What territories (including dependents, colonies, etc.) are or can be covered by a trade mark in your jurisdiction?

A Mexican trade mark registration is valid/enforceable only within the Mexican Republic.

2.8 Who can own a trade mark in your jurisdiction?

Article 87 of the IPL establishes who may use and therefore own a trade mark registration, stating: "industrialists, merchants, or service providers may use trade marks in industry, in commerce or in the services they render". Nevertheless, the right to their exclusive use is obtained through their registration with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI). In Mexican practice, any kind of person or entity is entitled to apply for a trade mark registration before the IMPI.

2.9 Can a trade mark acquire distinctive character through use?

No. The Mexican IPL does not recognise the so-called "secondary meaning" doctrine.

2.10 How long on average does registration take?

If an application is filed complete and no oppositions are filed, no objections as to inherent registrability are issued and no prior references are cited by the examiner, registration may be granted within five to seven months as of the filing date. Otherwise, if oppositions as filed, if formalities requirements or references/objections are cited by the examiner, the prosecution of the application may become quite long (between 12 to 18 months) and it may conclude either in the granting of registration, or the refusal thereof.

2.11 What is the average cost of obtaining a trade mark in your jurisdiction?

If no classification requirements, oppositions and/or objections to registration are issued, the average costs for obtaining a Mexican non-priority trade mark registration are estimated at US$750.00.

2.12 Is there more than one route to obtaining a registration in your jurisdiction?

Yes. Besides the National Route, starting on February 19, 2013, it is also possible to obtain a trade mark registration in Mexico through the International (Madrid) System.

2.13 Is a Power of Attorney needed?

It is no longer compulsory to submit a POA along with a trade mark application, provided that the IMPI will recognise the authority of the representative signing it through a declaration under oath contained in the application form. However, a valid POA must indeed exist, and it should have been granted (dated) prior to the filing of the application, otherwise the declaration contained in the application form in connection with the representation may be deemed false, thus affecting the validity of the eventual registration to be obtained.

2.14 If so, does a Power of Attorney require notarisation and/or legalisation?

A Power of Attorney is not required for trade mark prosecution. However, for litigation purposes notarisation and legalisation is indeed needed.

2.15 How is priority claimed?

It is required to provide in the application form the country of origin, application number, the date of filing and the exact description of goods and services used in the priority application. It is no longer necessary to file a certified copy of the priority application.

2.16 Does your jurisdiction recognise Collective or Certification marks?

Collective marks are indeed recognised by the IPL currently in force. However, Certification marks are not.

Download -   ICLG to: Trade Marks 2017

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.