The International Trademark Association’s (INTA) 2020 annual meeting will not go ahead in Singapore and will be instead be held in a US venue in “May or June”, the organisation has announced.
The decision comes in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Singapore, which is the worst affected country outside China with almost 70 cases reported to date.
In a statement issued this morning, February 15, INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo said Singapore will now host the annual meeting in 2022.
“We firmly believe that we are making the most judicious decision, so as not to jeopardise the health and safety of registrants, staff, and the public,” Sanz de Acedo said.
It has not yet been confirmed where in the US will host the rescheduled 2020 INTA meeting.
INTA said it would automatically refund in full registration fees and sponsor fees. Bnetwork, the official housing provider for the planned Singapore meeting, will also reimburse deposits for hotel rooms booked through its service, the statement said.
“As you can well imagine, there are significant logistics involved in planning and holding a gathering of this size. We ask for your patience and will provide an update as soon as possible,” Sanz de Acedo said.
Source: World IP Review
