NEWSLETTER-2017

295 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW a guarantee trademark owner is prohibited, and the duty and autho- rization of the owner is limited to ensure the usage of a guarantee trademark in accordance with the technical specification. Application Process Each and every application may only contain the sign of one trademark. The goods or services that are subject to such application are subject to classification established by the Nice Agreement Con- cerning the International Classification of Goods and Services. Following the submission of the application, it is subject to ex- amination with regard to procedural criteria and absolute grounds for refusal. Following the completion of such examination, the applica- tion will be published in the Journal, and will be subject to objection of third parties for two months as of the publication date. The mentioned objection term was prescribed as two months in the former Decree, and is shortened under the Law. In the event of the non-existence of any objection or denial of raised objections, the trademark shall be registered. Absolute Grounds for Refusal Absolute grounds for refusal, independently from any owner of a prior-registered trademark or trademark application, define the signs that cannot be registered as a trademark. Absolute grounds for refusal are regulated under Article 5 of the Law. Accordingly, signs that are not representable in the registry, or which are not distinguishing, or regional signs and other signs regulated under Article 5, are deemed as absolute grounds for refusal. Relative Grounds for Refusal In the event of occurrence of relative grounds for refusal regu- lated under Article 6 of the Law, the trademark application shall be denied upon the objection of the right owner.