Meetings
Assembly of the Nice Union
All States that have ratified or acceded to the Stockholm or the Geneva Act of the Nice Agreement are members of the Nice Union Assembly. The Assembly meets in ordinary session once every two years.
In particular, the Assembly deals with all matters concerning the maintenance and development of the Union and the implementation of the Nice Agreement.
Committee of Experts of the Nice Union
Each State party to the Nice Agreement is represented in the Committee of Experts set up by the Agreement. The Committee holds its sessions at least once every five years.
In particular, the Committee decides on any changes to be incorporated in the Nice Classification, which are subsequently published in the form of new editions of the Classification. The Committee of Experts also addresses recommendations to the members of the Union for the purpose of facilitating the use of the Classification and promoting its uniform application.
Preparatory Working Group of the Committee of Experts
The Committee of Experts has established a Preparatory Working Group whose task is to examine proposals for changes to the Nice Classification submitted by the Nice Union member countries and by certain governmental organizations specialized in the field of trademarks. The proposals approved by the Preparatory Working Group are then submitted to the Committee of Experts for adoption.
Any State party to the Nice Agreement can become a member of the Preparatory Working Group by informing the Director General of WIPO in writing of its wish to become member. The Preparatory Working Group generally meets once a year.
Nice Union - Ad hoc Working Group
At its twenty-sixth session held in Geneva, from November 26 to 30, 2007, the Preparatory Working Group of the Committee of Experts of the Nice Union requested the Secretariat of WIPO to convene a session of an ad hoc Working Group, whose task will be to discuss the revision procedure for the Nice Classification.
The ad hoc Working Group held three sessions in Geneva in 2008 and 2009. It recommended, in particular, certain amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Committee of Experts. Such amendments should be adopted by the Committee of Experts at its 21st session to be held in Geneva, from November 22 to 26, 2010.
