Collective Marks – Common distinctive sign

Law No 26,355, which provides the legal basis for the protection of Collective Marks, was published on March 27, 2008 in the Official Gazette. According to the law, Collective Mark is any sign identifying products and/or services manufactured or rendered by the associative forms aimed at the development of the social economy (please see “Collective Marks” published in Marval News # 71 of April, 30, 2008).

Decree No 1384/2008, published in the Official Gazette on August 29, 2008, has regulated Law No 26,355. The decree states that the Ministry for Social Development by means of the Secretary of Social Policies and Human Development will be in charge of controlling the compliance of the Collective Mark law and will be the exclusive owner of the “common distinctive sign”, which will identify the products or services of the social economy to which the Collective Mark will be applied.