Kazakhstan strengthens intellectual property laws with faster trademarks and accessibility reforms
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a new law to fortify intellectual property safeguards. The legislation implements several key alterations, including expedited trademark registration and broadened access to published works for visually impaired individuals.
The law, titled On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Intellectual Property Matters, introduces multiple updates to copyright and trademark regulations. One significant change permits visually impaired people to access published works without requiring authors' consent or paying royalties.
The time needed to register a trademark has been slashed from seven months to three, provided applicants pay an extra fee. Concurrently, the deadline for filing objections against a trademark application has been doubled, stretching from one month to two.
To enhance supervision, the law empowers justice authorities to conduct unannounced inspections of copyright and related rights usage. These checks can be instigated by requests from authors and rights holders. Furthermore, a unified digital platform for collective rights management will be established to simplify administration.
The new provisions seek to update Kazakhstan’s intellectual property infrastructure. Faster trademark processing and stringent enforcement mechanisms are anticipated to benefit both rights holders and users. The law also ensures greater accessibility for visually impaired readers while preserving legal safeguards.
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