The amendments to the Trademark Act, enforced on May 1, 2024, expanded the scope of eligible trademark applicants and introduced both a management framework for trademark agents and an accelerated examination mechanism. In response to these amendments, TIPO revised the “Examination Guidelines on Procedural Examination of Applications for Trademark Registration,” which have been in effect since December 1, 2025. 

Key revisions include:

1. Establishing procedural regulations and signature requirements for partnerships, legally established groups without juridical personality, or businesses registered in accordance with the Business Registration Act to apply for trademark registration.

2. Defining filing requirements for accelerated trademark examination and introducing multiple payment options for administrative fees, including bank transfers, pre-authorized account debits, and credit cards.

3. Specifying the qualifications required for trademark agents and the fee regulations regarding changes in agent appointments.

4. Updating procedural regulations for mandatory application fields, the consistency between trademark names and their reproductions, eligibility for priority claims, and proof of priority rights.

5. Refining procedural regulations related to substantive examination, specifically regarding trademark reproductions featuring “green” environmental claims or functional elements, alongside revised signing protocols and documents of proof for trademark coexistent registration agreements.

6. Updating examination principles to address evolving practical needs in procedural examination and provide a clear reference for stakeholders.