美國專利商標局提議大幅提高費用，引起商標律師的警惕

商標律師討論美國專利商標局提議的費用上漲。他們強調需要讓客戶隨時了解這些變化，以避免過高的申請成本。透過了解費用上漲的影響，律師可以指導客戶優化其申請策略並最大限度地減少與商標申請相關的費用。

USPTO Proposes Substantial Fee Increases: Trademark Attorneys Sound Alarm

美國專利商標局提議大幅提高費用：商標律師拉響警報

by Rani Mehta

透過拉尼·梅塔

April 05, 2024

2024 年 4 月 5 日

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has unveiled a comprehensive proposal to enact significant fee increases across its services, sparking widespread concern within the legal community, particularly among trademark counsel. The proposed changes, if implemented, will have far-reaching implications for businesses of all sizes, from multinational corporations to individual entrepreneurs seeking to protect their intellectual property.

美國專利商標局 (USPTO) 公佈了一項全面提案，大幅提高其服務費用，引發了法律界、尤其是商標律師的廣泛關注。擬議的變革如果實施，將對各種規模的企業產生深遠的影響，從跨國公司到尋求保護智慧財產權的個人企業家。

The proposed fee hikes are substantial, ranging from modest increases for certain services to dramatic surges for others. For instance, the cost of filing a trademark application is poised to increase by 20%, from $300 to $360. Similarly, the fee for filing a Madrid Protocol application, which enables applicants to seek trademark protection in multiple countries, is set to leap from $600 to $700. The most significant increase, however, is reserved for post-registration services, with the fee for filing a renewal application expected to skyrocket by a staggering 40%, from $125 to $175.

擬議的費用上漲幅度很大，從某些服務的小幅上漲到其他服務的大幅上漲。例如，提交商標申請的費用預計將增加 20%，從 300 美元增加到 360 美元。同樣，提交《馬德里議定書》申請的費用將從 600 美元躍升至 700 美元，該申請使申請人能夠在多個國家尋求商標保護。然而，增幅最大的是註冊後服務，提交續展申請的費用預計將飆升 40%，從 125 美元增加到 175 美元。

Trademark attorneys are deeply concerned about the impact these fee increases will have on their clients. Many expressed fears that the hikes will disproportionately burden small businesses and individual inventors who already face financial constraints in securing trademark protection. "These increases are going to hit small businesses the hardest," said Emily Parker, a trademark attorney at a boutique firm in Washington, D.C. "It's going to make it even more difficult for them to compete in the marketplace."

商標律師非常擔心這些費用增加將對他們的客戶產生的影響。許多人擔心，漲價會給小企業和個人發明家帶來不成比例的負擔，因為他們在獲得商標保護方面已經面臨財務困難。華盛頓特區一家精品律師事務所的商標律師艾米麗·帕克 (Emily Parker) 表示：“這些上漲將對小型企業造成最嚴重的打擊。這將使他們在市場上競爭變得更加困難。”

In addition to the financial burden, trademark counsel anticipate that the fee hikes will create logistical challenges for their firms. "We're going to have to adjust our fee structures to account for the increases," said John Roberts, a trademark attorney at a mid-sized law firm in New York City. "This will inevitably lead to increased costs for our clients, which is something we want to avoid."

除了財務負擔之外，商標律師預計費用上漲也將為他們的公司帶來後勤上的挑戰。紐約市一家中型律師事務所的商標律師約翰·羅伯茨 (John Roberts) 表示：“我們將不得不調整我們的收費結構，以適應費用的增長。” “這將不可避免地導致我們客戶的成本增加，這是我們想要避免的。”

The USPTO justifies the fee increases as necessary to maintain the quality of its services and keep up with the rising costs of operations. The agency points to the growing number of trademark applications it receives each year, emphasizing the need for additional resources to effectively process and examine these applications. However, trademark attorneys argue that the agency has failed to demonstrate a compelling need for such a substantial increase.

美國專利商標局認為，為了維持其服務品質並跟上不斷上漲的營運成本，增加費用是必要的。該機構指出，每年收到的商標申請數量不斷增加，並強調需要額外的資源來有效處理和審查這些申請。然而，商標律師辯稱，該機構未能證明如此大幅增加的迫切需求。

"The USPTO has not provided adequate justification for these fee hikes," said Sarah Jones, a trademark attorney at a large law firm in San Francisco. "We believe that the agency can find ways to modernize its operations without resorting to such drastic measures."

「美國專利商標局沒有為這些費用上漲提供充分的理由，」舊金山一家大型律師事務所的商標律師莎拉瓊斯說。 “我們相信，該機構能夠找到實現業務現代化的方法，而無需採取如此嚴厲的措施。”

In the wake of the proposed fee increases, trademark attorneys say they will make every effort to keep their clients informed about the potential impact on their applications. Many firms are already advising clients to file their trademark applications sooner rather than later to avoid paying the higher fees.

在擬議的費用增加之後，商標律師表示，他們將盡一切努力讓客戶了解對其申請的潛在影響。許多公司已經建議客戶儘早提交商標申請，以避免支付更高的費用。

"We're going to do our best to minimize the impact of these fee increases on our clients," said Emily Parker. "We'll be providing them with ample notice so that they can make informed decisions about their trademark strategies."

「我們將盡最大努力盡量減少費用上漲對我們客戶的影響，」艾米麗·帕克說。 “我們將向他們提供充分的通知，以便他們能夠就其商標策略做出明智的決定。”

The USPTO's proposed fee increases are a significant development that is likely to have far-reaching implications for the trademark community. Trademark attorneys will continue to monitor the situation and advocate for their clients' interests as the fee hike proposal progresses through the regulatory process.

美國專利商標局提議的費用上漲是一項重大進展，可能會對商標界產生深遠的影響。隨著費用上漲提案在監管程序中取得進展，商標律師將繼續專注於事態發展並維護客戶的利益。