Panama (PA)
Legal basis is the Intellectual Property Law, in force since November 10th, 1996, and the Executive Decree no. 7 of February 17th, 1998. The international classification of goods and services consisting of 45 classes has been adopted.
Trademark protection is obtained by registration. It can also be acquired by sufficient public recognition.
Registrable as a trademark are all distinctive and graphically representable signs, such as words, names, acronyms, letters, numbers, devices, emblems, holograms, colours, combinations or shades of colours, three-dimensional forms, the three-dimensional form of a good or its packaging and any combination of the mentioned signs as well as sound marks.The law also explicitly mentions trademark protection of slogans. Only the complete slogan is registrable, not the single words of which it consists.
The following trademark types are registrable: trade marks, service marks, collective marks, certification marks and trade names.
The application is filed at the Panama Industrial Property Direction (DIGERPI).
A separate application has to be filed for each class.
Foreign applicants need a local agent.
Tradesmen with place of business and legal seat abroad need a declaration about the existence of their firm and a power of attorney for it, authenticated by a consulate of Panama or by the apostille seal..
The application process includes a formal examination, an examination of distinctiveness and a search for prior trademarks.
The processing time from first filing to registration or first office action is approx. 12 to 18 months. Prior to registration, the trademark application is published in the “Boletin de la Propiedad Industrial”.
The opposition period is 2 months from publication date of the application.
Protection begins with the date of application. A trademark registration is valid for 10 years from date of application. The registration is renewable for periods of 10 years.
If the trademark has not been used within 5 years from registration or has not been used later for a continuous period of 5 years, it may be subject to cancellation. Use of the trademark abroad is sufficient.
The official fee is approx. EUR 100.00 per class for a protection of 10 years.
| Search type |
First class |
Add. class |
| Word Mark Search (availability) |
230,00 € |
190,00 € |
| Word Mark Search (identical) |
210,00 € |
150,00 € |
| Extended Search (word mark, company name, domain) |
690,00 € |
190,00 € |
| Device Mark Search (availability) |
420,00 € |
290,00 € |
| Trademark Owner Search |
390,00 € |
|
| Company Name Search |
540,00 € |
|
| Domain Name Search (extended) |
|
|
| i-Search (word mark availability + legal opinion) |
460,00 € |
440,00 € |
The Prices above are S.M.D. Markeur Search Fees