Aruba is a Dutch overseas territory located in the Caribbean region. As an independent autonomous region, there are no smaller sub administrative divisions under Aruba.
Aruba achieved autonomy in 1986, and its current trademark regulations are mainly based on Act No. 46 of 1989, the National Trademark Regulations, and Act No. 31 of 1997. The Intellectual Property Office is responsible for managing trademark affairs, and the official language of Aruba is Dutch.
At present, the Aruba Intellectual Property Office adopts the Nice Classification 11th edition of goods and services descriptions and accepts applications for multiple categories in one form. Applicants can register in a single country locally.
If the applicant does not reside in Aruba, they must entrust a local specialized agent to handle it. The basic materials required for trademark application are:
1. Trademark design;
2. Specific product items;
3. Name and address of the applicant;
4. Power of attorney;
5.If priority is declared, priority proof documents and corresponding Dutch translations must be provided.
The main process for applying for registration of an Aruba trademark is: application - acceptance - examination - approval - issuance - announcement. After the application is submitted, it will be accepted within about one week. After acceptance, the Intellectual Property Office will conduct a formal and substantive examination; After passing the review, registration can be granted and a local registration certificate can be issued; If the review fails, a rejection notice will be issued and the applicant will be required to respond within the time limit specified in the rejection notice. In a smooth situation, trademark registration generally takes about 3 months, and the opposition period is within 6 months after the trademark is announced for registration. Anyone can raise an objection to the official. The Aruba trademark is valid for 10 years after registration, starting from the date of application; Renewal can be processed within 6 months before the expiration date, with a grace period of 3 months; The renewal is valid for 10 years.
The trademark registration in Aruba follows the principle of "use first", but the exclusive right is limited to products or services that have been actually used within 3 years. The first applicant for trademark registration is also considered as the prior user of the trademark, but the exclusive right is limited to categories that have not been used in the past 3 years and have already been applied for registration.