(1) International registrations are examined in respect of grounds for refusal set out in section 18 in the same manner as designs which have been filed for registration in the Register kept by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. The refusal of the effects takes the place of the refusal of the design application.
(2) Where the German Patent and Trade Mark Office finds in the course of the examination that there are grounds for non-registrability as defined in section 18, it communicates to the International Bureau a notification of refusal of effects within six months from the date of publication of the international registration. The notification states all the grounds on which the refusal of effects is based.
(3) After the International Bureau has sent a copy of the notification of refusal of effects to the holder of the international registration, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office is required to give the holder of the international registration the opportunity to respond to the refusal of effects and to renounce protection within a period of four months. Upon expiry of this period, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office decides whether or not to uphold the refusal of effects. If the German Patent and Trade Mark Office upholds the refusal of effects, the right holder has the same legal remedies against the decision as apply to the refusal of an application for registration of a design in the Register kept by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. If the German Patent and Trade Mark Office does not uphold the refusal of effects or if it is finally determined that the protection was wrongfully refused, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office withdraws the refusal of effects without delay.