   
  
IP/N/1/HUN/2  
IP/N/1/HUN/T/3  
 
4 June  2019 
(19-3801)  Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS  AND REGULATIONS  
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 O F THE TRIPS AGREEMENT  
HUNGARY : ACT XI OF 1997 ON TH E PROTECTION OF TRAD E MARKS  
AND GEOGRAPHICAL IND ICATIONS  
Notifying Member  HUNGARY  
 
Details of the notified legal text  
 
Title Act XI of 1997 on the Protection of Trade Marks and Geographical Indications  
Subject matter  Trademarks  
Nature of 
notification  [X] Main dedicated intellectual property law or regulation  
[  ] Other law or regulation  
Link to legal text  https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/IP/HUN/19_3065_00_e.pdf   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/IP/HUN/19_3065_00_x.pdf  
Notification status  [  ] First notification  
[  ] Amendment or revision to notified legal text  
[X] Replacement or consolidation of notified legal text(s)  
Previous 
notification(s) 
referred to  IP/N/1/HUN/T/1/Rev.1  
Brief description of the notified legal text  
 
Act LXVII of 2018 on the amendments to certain laws of industrial property (hereinafter referred to 
as Implementing Act) was published and the new rules are applicable from 1 January, 2019 in 
Hungary. The Implementing Act predominantly introduces amendment s to Act XI of 1997 on the 
Protection of Trade Marks and Geographical Indications (hereinafter referred to as Trade Mark Act) 
in order to transpose the Directive (EU) 20 15/2436 of 16 December 2015 to approximate the laws 
of the Member States relating to t rade marks.  
 
As the consequence of the amendments, trade mark applications will no longer need to represent 
marks graphically. The new requirement is that the sign shall be capable of being represented in the 
register in a manner which enables the compete nt authorities and the public to determine the clear 
and precise subject matter of the protection afforded to its proprietor.  
 
The amendment also revises the system of absolute and relative grounds for refusal; redefines the 
scope and limitations of trade mark protection; clarifies the provisions on use of trade marks and 
details the procedural rules of renewal.  
 
Furthermore, the Implementing Act translates changes into the legal text relating to international 
trade marks in the light of the recent changes  in the relationship of the Madrid Agreement and the 
Madrid Protocol, Due to these changes, the Trade Mark Act reflects the prevalence of the Madrid 
Protocol.  IP/N/1/HUN/2 • IP/N/1/HUN/T/3  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Language(s) of 
notified legal text English, Hungarian  
Entry into force  1 January 2019  
Other date   
 
Notification details  
 
Submission date 
of notification  24 May 2019  
Other information  Act LXVII of 2018 on the amendments to certain laws of industrial property 
https://mkogy.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=A1800067.TV  
(in Hungarian)  
 
IP/N/1/EU/4 -IP/N/1/EU/T/5  
(Directive (EU) 20 15/2436 of 16  December  2015 to approximate the laws of 
the Member States relating to trade marks)  
 
Agency or 
authority 
responsible  Hungarian Intellectual Property Office  
 