Shirly Galante has been selected to be a member of INTA’s Emerging Issues Committee (https://www.inta.org/committees/emerging-issues-committee/). The Committee members collaborate on specific objectives that align with INTA’s strategic plan, that welcome new voices during each committee selection process.
The Emerging Issues Committee identifies and advocates INTA’s policy on important trends and emerging issues related to trademarks that are not covered by other “issue” committees. The Committee proposes policy recommendations to the Board, writes reports and submissions, and collaborates on advocacy with relevant committees and staff.
Shirly is working in the Task Group 3, integrated with colleagues all over the world, from different countries, different cultures, to collaborate one another to the objectives of the Committee and also to learn how is trademark legislation in other places in such complex or sensitive subjects. The current objective of the Task Group is to: Review trademark protection for highly regulated industries regarding products and services that are not universally legal (e.g. cannabis, prostitution, alcoholic beverages) with a view to harmonization of laws and practices regarding registration and protection of such marks. To develop the research, members are conducting a survey with information of each country about the legality of medicinal use of cannabis, prostitution, alcohol, and gambling. That includes not only the specific legislation and trademark examination guidelines, if any, but also analyzing trademark cases granted or refused according to this legislation and/or guidelines.