Changes to the trademark registration process in ARGENTINA

Key points of INPI Resolution P-583/25

Madrid, December 12, 2025. The Argentine National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) has published Resolution INPI P-583/25 in the Official Gazette, introducing a significant modification to the trademark registration procedure in Argentina. The new regulation changes both the scope of the ex officio examination and the sequence of procedural stages, with a direct impact on the handling and assessment of new trademark applications.

This change may be the first in a broader set of updates in the field of Industrial Property, at a time when Argentina is also considering imminent accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Below is a summary of the most important points:

Scope of the ex officio examination

Under this resolution, the examination carried out by the National Directorate of Trademarks is now limited exclusively to:

• Absolute grounds for refusal, i.e., cases in which the sign lacks distinctiveness or is incompatible with the essential function of a trademark.
• Public order considerations, aimed at protecting general interests of the community.

As a result, potential conflicts with third-party rights — such as similarity with earlier trademarks, use of personal names, or related scenarios — will no longer be examined ex officio. These issues will only be assessed if a third party raises them through an opposition or a cancellation action.

Reordering of procedural stages

The regulation introduces a reorganization of the trademark registration process:

• The formal and substantive examination will be conducted prior to publication of the application, provided that all formal requirements for evaluation are met.
• If no objections are raised, or if any objections are remedied, the application will be approved and published in the Trademark Bulletin.
• Once the statutory opposition period of 30 consecutive days has elapsed without any third-party filings, the trademark will be granted directly.
• If an opposition is filed, the proceedings will continue in accordance with the applicable regulations.

Immediate application of the new examination criteria

The limitation of the ex officio examination enters into force immediately and applies to all new trademark applications currently pending, regardless of the procedural stage they are in.

Entry into force of the new procedural framework

This reorganization will take effect on March 1, 2026, when the INPI expects to have the necessary IT adaptations ready for implementation.

At Balder, we’re closely following these developments and are happy to help you understand what they mean in practice for your business. If you’d like to explore how this change may affect your filings or enforcement strategy, feel free to reach out any time.