Recent Development
As known the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (“TPTO“) assigns a seven-digit number called a “customer number” to right holders. The customer number ensures that all registrations and applications registered in the name of the relevant right holder are listed according to the type of right when searches on the TPTO database are made utilizing this number. The TPTO announced on its official website that it changed the name “customer number” to “personal number” and introduced certain updates regarding address changes, name changes and conversions of company types (“Announcement“). In this context, domestic and foreign real persons and legal entities should pay attention to certain aspects of the Announcement in their proceedings on the TPTO Electronic Application System (“EPATS“).
What Does the Announcement Introduce?
- Personal Numbers
The TPTO announced that the seven-digit number previously referred to as the “customer number” will now be referred to as the “personal number”. The personal number is the number the TPTO assigns to domestic and foreign real persons and legal entities for their TPTO database records and to be used in proceedings.
In this context, the personal number will be used for proceedings made through the EPATS system. The TPTO will continue to use the Turkish Republic identification number for real persons whereas the tax identification number will be used for legal entities for their respective proceedings.
- Address Changes
The TPTO announced that the address information of domestic real persons and legal entities will no longer be required in proceedings made through the EPATS system. The TPTO’s goal is to issue all notifications electronically, and if necessary, to send the notifications to the physical addresses specified in the Central Civil Registration System (“MERNIS“) and Central Registration System (“MERSIS“). Accordingly, the address change procedure on the EPATS system was abolished for domestic real persons and legal entities.
- Name Changes
The TPTO announced that name change requests made on behalf of domestic real persons and legal entities will be verified through the MERNIS and MERSIS systems automatically. TPTO will continue carrying out examining of the name change recording requests as regards to the name change requests made on behalf of foreign real persons and legal entities.
- Conversions of Company Types
For company type conversion requests for domestic and foreign legal entities, TPTO will review the documents and carry out recording of the recording conversion.
Conclusion
The TPTO’s latest changes aim to minimize the burdens of unnecessary documentation. The amendments are important steps towards fast and efficient proceeding, and the Announcement intends to shorten and facilitate proceedings such as address changes, name changes and company type changes made via the EPATS.
