In continuing its efforts to eliminate the backlog in examination of new trademark applications, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has released new Specificity Guidelines for Good and Services. As the CIPO notes, the guidelines are meant “to provide an indication of the level of specificity required by the Registrar for certain types of goods and services”.

These guidelines will be useful for stakeholders and trademark professionals when drafting statement of goods and services for new applications since examination of trademark applications using pre-approved goods and service (or goods and services considered to be similar with the pre-approved goods and services) is accelerated.

Similarly, these guidelines will be useful for stakeholders and trademark professionals for responding to Examiner’s Reports with objections to the statement of goods and services.