Cabinet approves proposal for accession of India to

(a) The Nice Agreement on the International classification of goods and services for the purposes of registration of marks

(b) The Vienna Agreement for setting up an International classification of the figurative elements of marks

(c) The Locarno Agreement for establishing an International classification for industrial designs

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for accession of India to (i) The Nice Agreement concerning the International classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of registration of marks, (ii) The Vienna Agreement establishing an International Classification of the figurative elements of marks, and (iii) The Locarno Agreement establishing an International classification for industrial designs.

Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements will help the Intellectual Property Office in India to harmonise the classification systems for examinational of trademark and design applications, in line with the classification systems followed globally.

It would give an opportunity to include Indian designs, figurative elements and goods in the international classification systems.

The accession is expected to instill confidence in foreign investors in relation to protection of IPs in India.

The accession would also facilitate in exercising rights in decision making processes regarding review and revision of the classifications under the agreement.

International classification accession aligns India's trademark and design classifications with global systems and enables participation in revision processes. Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements will align domestic examination and classification practices with international standards, permit inclusion of Indian marks, designs and figurative elements in global classification schemes, and enable the Intellectual Property Office to participate in review and revision processes under those Agreements to enhance legal certainty and investor confidence in IP protection.