INTA Board of Directors Vote to Adopt Four Board Resolutions, Broadly Advancing Brand Owners’ Rights

Washington, D.C.—September 15, 2025—The Board of Directors of the International Trademark Association (INTA) has adopted four resolutions during their September 2025 Board of Directors Meeting, held today in Washington, D.C. Establishing INTA’s position on critical policy issues, Board resolutions, once approved, are central to the Association’s advocacy work and guide all related activities.

Presented by the Parallel Imports Committee, the first resolution is titled “A Set of Standardized Exceptions for International Exhaustion of Trademark Rights.” As stated in the resolution, the standard set of exceptions to the rule of exhaustion presented in the document should be used as a guideline to define products that are “materially different” from those products authorized for sale by the trademark owner in the domestic market, allowing trademark owners to block the parallel importation of these goods. The goal of the resolution is to protect consumer expectations and trademark value, especially in jurisdictions where international exhaustion is the default legal standard.

The Enforcement Committee presented the second resolution. Titled “Acceptance of Coexistence Agreements and Letters of Consent,” it recommends that INTA support the increased consideration and acceptance of coexistence agreements and letters of consent by trademark offices (TMOs) to overcome likelihood of confusion–based refusals. The Association supports greater global harmonization and increased acceptance of these agreements, recommending that TMOs give due weight to the parties’ mutual assessment and justification, while also independently evaluating whether the agreement adequately addresses the risk of confusion and protects the public interest. INTA endorses the use of evaluation criteria of consent agreements by TMOs consistent with those set forth in its Guidelines for Trademark Examination. This approach aims to make trademark registration more predictable and efficient, reducing unnecessary barriers for applicants and facilitating negotiated settlements between parties.

Titled “Support for Delegation of New dotBrands within the Domain Name System (DNS),” the third resolution was presented by the Internet Committee and proposes that INTA support the delegation of new “dotBrands” Top-Level Domains (TLDs) within the Domain Name System (DNS)—as announced by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the April 2026 round. As noted in the resolution, INTA members’ experience with dotBrands has demonstrated that they can be managed safely and securely, with no significant issues of fraud, cybersquatting, or public safety reported by trademark owners or the public. The resolution reaffirms the Association’s historic concerns that any expansion of the generic domain space must be responsible, deliberate, and justified, and its position that further concrete, measurable improvements to rights protections mechanisms in the DNS are still needed. While INTA continues to advocate for robust trademark protection and safeguards against malicious conduct, it recognizes that dotBrands can promote consumer trust, innovation, and choice online.

Finally, the fourth resolution is titled “Best Practice Guide for Online Marketplaces to Protect Design Rights” and was presented by the Designs Committee. Building on a survey that highlighted the complexities of online design rights enforcement and the need for greater clarity and consistency in online marketplaces’ practices, the INTA Best Practice Guide for Online Marketplaces to Protect Design Rights outlines eight best practices for online marketplaces to protect design rights while striking a balance between the obligations of online marketplaces and those of design right owners in their joint fight against the sale of infringing products.

“Together, these four Board resolutions illustrate the expansive nature of INTA’s committee work and effective engagement with key stakeholders in the global IP ecosystem,” said INTA Chief Policy Officer Heather Steinmeyer. “In addressing evolving issues such as parallel imports, coexistence agreements, dotBrands, and online design rights, we’re providing clear guidance for stakeholders and enhancing brand owners’ rights, while fostering consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation.”

Every year, INTA hosts a government relations program in conjunction with its September INTA Board of Directors Meeting. This year’s program featured officials from the Judiciary Committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), U.S. Copyright Office (USCO), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The Board of Directors will meet again in person during the Association’s 2025 Leadership Meeting, which will take place November 18 to 21, in Hollywood, Florida, USA. The INTA Leadership Meeting is an invitation-only event for its Board of Directors and members who volunteer on its councils, committees, and project teams. This year’s Meeting is pivotal as the Association transitions between committee terms as well as prepares to implement its 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. The Board of Directors will also vote on a further four resolutions when they meet in Hollywood.

About the International Trademark Association:
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and complementary intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation, and committed to building a better society through brands. Members include more than 6,700 organizations, representing more than 37,000 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 181 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Beijing, Brussels, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, and representatives in Amman, Nairobi, and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.

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Media Contact:
JC Darné
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