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TRADEMARK REGISTRATION BEFORE THE COLON FREE ZONE
ADMINISTRATION AND CUSTOMS DIRECTORATE
Additional
Trademark Protection
The
Colon Free Zone (“CFZ”) is the second
largest duty-free trade area in the world, after
the Hong Kong free zone. It is located in the
Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal and it is
served by five major ports. Over 2000 companies
operate within this duty-free zone.
The
companies in the CFZ import products, specially,
from the Far East, being Taiwan, Hong Kong and
Japan the largest suppliers, and then re-export
them to other countries, mainly in Latin America.
The CFZ has traditionally served as a key point
for distribution of goods coming from Asia, thereby,
constituting a hot spot for counterfeiting activities.
To
control and pursue the traffic of counterfeit
products into and from the CFZ and at other points
of introduction and distribution of merchandise
within the country, such as ports, the Panamanian
government instituted, by means of special statutes,
border control measures, empowering CFZ and Customs
authorities to conduct ex officio or upon request
of the interested party inspections and retentions
of goods suspected to be counterfeits.
Likewise,
to achieve an effective enforcement of intellectual
property rights Trademark Registries within the
CFZ Administration and Customs Directorate were
created and currently operate for the registration
of trademarks before these entities.
Registration
of marks with these offices is of paramount importance
for the protection of intellectual property rights
in this region, as the registry allows the authorities
to verify within their own records whether a specific
mark is registered in Panama and its corresponding
particulars without the need of contacting the
Trademark Office, thereby, facilitating the detection
of pirated products and expediting the processing
of this information when required for the execution
of merchandise seizures.
Registration
Requirements
Power
of Attorney from the applicant duly
notarized and legalized by the Panamanian Consulate
or with Apostille Seal
Certified copy of the trademark registration
issued by the Panamanian Trademark Office
The
intellectual property right owner has the option
to indicate in the petition the name and address
of local licensees and/or authorized distributors.
Renewal
of trademark registrations before the CFZ and
Customs.
Trademarks
registered before these entities may be renewed
indefinitely for terms of ten years which will
run in accordance with the terms of the corresponding
registration with the Panamanian Trademark Office
and as long as this registration is in force.
These renewals can be filed at any time.
Requirements:
Certified copy of the renewal petition
filed before the Panamanian Trademark Office
Certified Copy of the Renewal Certificate
issued by the Panamanian Trademark Office once
it is issued.
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