Region: Montenegro

The government of Montenegro is currently reviewing three new draft IP laws, including the Draft Law on Trademarks. Under the new law, a trademark application will be examined on absolute grounds only. The new law is expected to enter into force within the next six months.

07 May 2010

The Montenegro IP Office has issued the first edition of the <i>Official Gazette</i>, which featured 100 registered trademarks and 50 patents. Two more editions are expected to be published this year. There are currently around 2,800 trademark applications pending before the office, while 20,000 Serbian trademarks have been automatically recognized.

19 March 2010

The period of transition from the 'cg.yu' extension to the new ccTLD '.me' has been extended from September 30 2009 to March 30 2010 based on a decision by ICANN. In addition, the registry responsible for the '.me' ccTLD has informed all 'cg.yu' domain name owners that Google has agreed to fast index the new '.me' domain names.

17 November 2009

doMEn, the operator of Montenegro's country-code top-level domain, '.me', has auctioned off dozens of '.me' domain names to the highest bidder. '.me' domain names have proved popular in English-speaking countries, and domain names such as 'chatwith.me' have changed hands for prices in the region of €10,000.

29 May 2009

Montenegro has adopted the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy for disputes involving ‘.me’ domain names. The ‘.me’ country-code top-level domain, which replaced the Yugoslavian ‘.yu’ ccTLD, has proved very popular with English-speaking countries.

06 November 2008

The Montenegro Intellectual Property Office has announced that it no longer accepts copies of Serbian trademark filings or validity certificates in order to obtain a certificate of registration in Montenegro. An original or a certified copy of the Serbian filing or validity certificate is now required.

16 July 2008

The '.me' registry has launched the registration of the new Montenegrin '.me' country-code domain name. Although the cost of registration during the sunrise period was relatively high, trademark owners were advised to take advantage of this period to register their marks as domain names for defensive purposes. The new domain name is likely to have mass appeal for individuals.

30 May 2008

Over a year after its creation was announced, the Montenegro Intellectual Property Office will be inaugurated officially on May 28 2008. Holders of patent, trademark or design applications which are pending in Serbia on that date will be able to revalidate them in Montenegro and retain the priority date of the Serbian filing.

19 May 2008

Montenegro has passed a decree on the recognition of IP rights obtained in the former state union of Serbia and Montenegro before June 3 2006 and in the Republic of Serbia after that date. Whether an application for trademark registration filed in Serbia must be revalidated in Montenegro will depend on its status in Serbia on the date on which the Montenegro IP Office starts operating.

05 November 2007

After months of anticipation, the Montenegro government has adopted adecree which provides for the establishment of a national IP office. The decree,which came into force on May 19 2007, stipulates that the office will startoperating within 60 days. Additional time may be needed to organize the necessaryforms and prepare a schedule of official fees before trademark owners can startfiling nationally.

25 May 2007