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International registration systems are an important route for the protection of designs. Anne-Catherine Schihin introduces a new tool to protect design rights in the countries of the former USSR.
By removing the need for prior approval by ANVISA, the patent process for pharmaceutical and biotechnology products has been shortened and associated costs reduced.
Unlike trademark registration systems, which are national or regional by nature, the internet offers a global and potentially limitless market. Businesses with the same or confusingly similar company or product names can face a considerable challenge to mitigate the risks of brand confusion online.
Owners of registered EU rights benefited from the automatic cloning of those rights onto the UK register at the end of the Brexit transition period, but pending rights were not similarly converted. Luke Portnow sets out the steps needed to be taken by 30 September to protect such marks in the UK.
Similarities in packaging between Howler’s stout beer and Nestlé’s MILO® chocolate milk hit the courts in Australia last month, with the case illustrating the need for trademark protection of visual branding elements, says Chantal Koller.
Last month, the General Court of the European Union achieved a new milestone when it handed down its first-ever judgement on a sound mark registration, presented as an MP3 file. Koen de Winder sets out the background and implications of the ruling.
Drinks companies have diversified their products and ranges, and implemented new strategies in response to changing consumer preferences and the impact of both Brexit and COVID-19. But, what do these factors mean for brands' IP strategies moving forward?
IP strategy is best considered at the start of research and development (R&D). The first step is choosing the IP approach to take during product development. Mark Suddaby explains the options.
The estate of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren successfully established last year that a German version of the song ‘Hey, Pippi Longstocking’ infringed its copyright. To mark the launch of the new official version of the Pippi Longstocking song this month, Koen de Winder examines the court case and what it means for the character’s legacy.
The UKIPO recently upheld an opposition by Cambridge University to a trademark application by Chadlington Brewery Limited, for the mark ‘Cambridge Blue’, claiming beers in Class 32. The decision offers a useful summary of the UK’s common law tort of ‘passing off’, says Luke Portnow.
The European patent system provides companies with an efficient structure for protecting inventions in Europe. However, there are a number of crucial points to consider if they are to make the best use of the system.
