Message to the Senate Transmitting the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs.

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith a certified copy of the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs, signed October 8, 1968. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Secretary of State with respect to the Agreement.

The countries which are parties to the Agreement constitute a Special Union. The principal purpose of that organization, which will consist of an Assembly of all contracting parties, and a Committee of Experts, is to establish an international classification for industrial designs. Such a classification system will be of great assistance in researching the existence of exclusive rights respecting a specified design or any variants thereof. This arrangement will be generally similar to that set forth in the Nice Agreement Concerning International Classification of Goods and Services to which Trademarks are Applied as revised at Stockholm July 14, 1967.

I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to this Agreement.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

August 3, 1971