When can an IPO reject my application?

An IPO can issue a refusal once the examining attorney finds an issue within your trademark application during the examination period. This issue will then be raised in the form of an examination report (or an 'office action'), which is a letter addressed to the applicant or the applicant's legal representative.

If no response is provided within the response period stated in the letter, the trademark application will be rejected and subsequently considered abandoned. If you receive such a document from the IPO, you can reach out to your legal representative or companies similar to Trama, where you should be able to receive assistance. Even if a different legal representative already represents you, another representative can take over your case (if the price or process suits the applicant better).

The main reasons for issuing an office action include:

• Presence of an identical or significantly similar trademark,
• lack of distinctiveness,
• error in the application,
• unclear or insufficient information, or
• the need for a legal argument to support your application in general.