Trademark Opposition Procedure in Costa Rica
Once a trademark application is published in the official trademark journal, any interested party may initiate an opposition process.
The procedure for trademark opposition is as follows:
- Filing a Notice of Opposition: Any party with a legitimate interest may file an opposition. It must be filed within two months from the date of the trademark’s first publication.
The opposition must include both factual (de facto) and legal (de jure) grounds. Supporting evidence should be submitted along with the opposition.
If evidence is not immediately available, it must be provided within 30 calendar days from the opposition filing date. - Applicant’s Response: The opposition is formally notified to the applicant by the Registry. The applicant has two months from the date of notification to submit a response.
- Decision by the Registry: After the response period ends, the Industrial Property Registry will issue a decision. The Registry may proceed to decide even if the applicant does not respond.