This article investigates the definition of a registrable trade mark under the existing legislation prevalent in two countries, namely Jordan and the United Kingdom. More particularly, it also focuses on the recent Jordanian Trade Marks Law amendment that complied with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Therefore, this article has two principal aims. Initially, it examines the Jordanian Trade Marks Law’s definition of trade mark before and after the 1999 amendments and its compatibility with the TRIPS Agreement. Secondly, this article examines and analyses the kinds of trade marks the Jordanian Trade Marks Law permits the registration of. It compares these with those the UK Trade Marks Act allows. This will highlight common requirements to register and legally protect a trade mark but also reveal any significant differences in the two laws and the types of trade marks to which they grant registration. Importantly for this article, the analysis of Jordanian Trade Marks Law is consequently made in relation to one in a developed country – the UK.
Business Law Review