    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [May 3, 2007]
    [Page 536]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the Singapore Treaty on the Law of
    Trademarks
    May 3, 2007

    To the Senate of the United States:
        I transmit herewith for the Senate's advice and consent to
    ratification the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (the
    ``Treaty'' or ``Singapore Treaty'') adopted and signed by the United
    States at Singapore on March 28, 2006. I also transmit for the
    information of the Senate a report of the Department of State with
    respect to the Treaty.
        If ratified by the United States, the Treaty would offer significant
    benefits to U.S. trademark owners and national trademark offices,
    including the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The beneficial
    features of the Trademark Law Treaty of 1994 (the ``1994 TLT''), to
    which the United States is a party, are included in the Singapore
    Treaty, as well as the improvements to the 1994 TLT that the United
    States Government sought to achieve through the revision effort. Key
    improvements allow for national trademark offices to take advantage of
    electronic communication systems as an efficient and cost-saving
    alternative to paper communications, at such time as the office is ready
    to embrace the technology. The Treaty also includes trademark license
    recordation provisions that reduce the formalities that trademark owners
    face when doing business in a country that is a Contracting Party that
    requires trademark license recordation. The goal of these provisions is
    to reduce the damaging effects that can result from failure to record a
    license in those jurisdictions that require recordation. These and other
    improvements create a more attractive treaty for World Intellectual
    Property Organization Member States. Consequently, once the Treaty is in
    force, it is expected to increase the efficiency of national trademark
    offices, which in turn is expected to create efficiencies and cost
    savings for U.S. trademark owners registering and maintaining trademarks
    abroad.
        Ratification of the Treaty is in the best interests of the United
    States. I recommend, therefore, that the Senate give early and favorable
    consideration to the Treaty and give its advice and consent to
    ratification.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     May 3, 2007.

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    May 4.