As of November 2, 2023, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property has adopted the 12th edition of the International Nice Classification for trademark registration. So, what are the approved modifications in this edition, and to what extent will they affect entrepreneurs when registering new trademarks? Figure out more details about the 12th edition.
The International Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification)
The International Classification of Goods and Services for the Registration of Marks was established under the Nice Agreement (1957). It is an international system for classifying goods and services to facilitate the process of registering new trademarks. It has been adopted by many countries for the registration of both national and international trademarks.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the implementation of the Nice Classification regulations is mandatory for national trademark registration in member countries, as well as for international trademark registration in the African Regional Intellectual Property Office, the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the WIPO International Office.
Since the release of the first edition of the Nice Classification and its implementation in member countries, editions have been published and become effective every five years. However, since 2013, due to the expansion of trademark registration scope, the Nice Classification has been reviewed annually to issue a new version with more modifications to accommodate developments in the business world. The 12th edition was released this year.
The 12th Edition of The International Nice Classification
The Nice Classification categorizes registrable goods and services for trademarks into 45 different classes. Goods occupy classes 1 to 34, while services are listed in classes 35 to 45. The major changes in the 12th edition include:
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Class (9)
The scope of Class (9) has been expanded to include goods and services related to blockchain technologies and tokens (NFTs), such as “downloadable digital files authenticated by NFTs.” Additionally, the item “downloadable computer programs using blockchain technology” has been modified to “downloadable computer programs for managing cryptocurrency transactions using blockchain technology.”
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New Technologies
It also added some new technologies, such as humanoid robots equipped with communication and learning functions to assist and entertain people, as well as all robots based on artificial intelligence, and programmable robots.
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Medical Devices
Category 10 has been expanded to include “respiratory devices used for air purification” and “respiratory masks for medical purposes,” enabling companies to participate in the production of medical devices such as advanced respiratory devices and masks using the specified descriptions in the Nice Classification now.
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Internet Communities
With the emergence of communities that deliver some of their services online, the scope of Category (41) covering educational services has been expanded to include training and entertainment. Additionally, the scope of sports and cultural activities has been expanded to include entertainment offerings to protect trademarks for services that provide guided tours online.
You can also access all categories of services and goods after the update via this link (The 12th Edition of the International Nice Classification).
