Legal basis
Through a contractual agreement, PRO-Europe has assigned to CSR the responsibility for protecting the trademark in North America. This means that CSR will:
- Identify products sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico that carry the Green Dot symbol.
- Maintain a registry of those companies that market or distribute these products in North America.
- Establish an appropriate licensee fee for use of the mark at a fee which will allow CSR to:
- identify current users of the mark
- maintain a registry of all users of the mark in North America
- license use of the mark to companies which use the mark on packaging of products sold in North America
- protect and defend the use of the trademark in North America
- ensure that the mark is used appropriately on packaging
- promote the recycling of packaging recycling programs
- monitor the effectiveness of packaging recycling programs
- Report on these matters to PRO-Europe
- Participate in the management of PRO-Europe.*
North America trade-mark registration numbers are as folllows:
TMA 447 166 - Services Design
TMA 447 167 - Wares Word & Design
TMA 454 496 - Wares Word & Design
TMA 911037 - Design
Affected Companies
If a manufacturer or importer uses, or intends to use the Green Dot on packaging destined for the North American market, the company will need to obtain a license. The onus is on the user of the Green Dot to take steps to register and acquire the required license.
The "user agreement" license fee for calendar year 2006 is $1,200 (U.S.). This fee covers the license for products sold in North America in the calendar year 2006 and is based on a cost recovery for administering the licensing and use of the Green Dot in North America.
* Letter of confirmation from PRO-Europe to CSR after signing the contractual agreement.
