The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)amended its rules in order to implement the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act of 1998 (TLTIA), Pub. L. No. 105-330, 112 Stat. 3064 (15 U.S.C. �1051). The purpose of the amended rules is to simplify and clarify procedures for registering trademarks and for maintaining registrations. TLTIA implements the Trademark Law Treaty, which is designed to make procedural requirements of different national trademark offices more uniform.

The effective date of the new rules was Oct. 30, 1999. This date applies as follows:

  • Pending Applications. The changes apply to any application pending on, or filed on or after, Oct. 30, 1999. Applications filed before Oct. 30, 1999, but not reviewed by the PTO for compliance with minimum filing requirements until after Oct. 30, 1999, will be required to meet the minimum filing requirements in effect as of the date of filing.
  • Post Registration. The new provisions for � 8 (Declaration of Use) and � 9 (Application for Renewal) will apply only to Declarations and Renewal Applications filed on or after Oct. 30, 1999. The old law applies to Declarations and Renewal Applications filed before Oct. 30, 1999.