COVID-19

An essential device to fight the spread of COVID-19, the mask now represents a retail market in its own right. Marine Dissoubray spells out the IP implications.

In our webinar focused on trademark management in challenging times, our panellists offered advice on reducing costs and driving efficiencies in trademark registration and enforcement strategies. Here, we summarise some of the guidance and tools discussed.

Patent and trademark offices are adapting their working methods in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Read our overview of changes to procedural requirements, timeframes, channels of communication and other impacts on IPOs in Europe and worldwide. 

The UK IPO's period of 'interrupted days', which resulted in the extension of most deadlines, ends today (29 July 2020). However, aware of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on applicants and proprietors of intellectual property rights, the Government has introduced a new statutory instrument making temporary amendments to the patent, trademark and design fee rules.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed new challenges to companies and their legal advisers, including that of obtaining the necessary signatures for the execution of documents. In response, the Law Commission has issue an updated guidance note, as Laura Morrish explains.

COVID-19 has changed the ways in which trademark professionals manage routine tasks. While technology has enabled many of us to rapidly transition to working from home, obtaining necessary signatures now requires even more advance planning.

The US has launched an accelerated examination procedure for patent applications relating to COVID-19, as Eric Enderlin explains.

The current health crisis has inspired inventors from a wide range of industries and organisations to look for ways to help, including meeting the urgent need for protective equipment in hospitals.

Pandemic panic has driven acute increase in demand for goods, services and information online. Novagraaf’s Anca Dragnescu-Pinawin sets out the IP implications for brand owners.

Bankruptcies among high street chains in the UK are becoming an all too familiar sight with household names, such as Thomas Cook and Mothercare going under in 2019, and many companies anticipating financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the recession that is predicted to follow.

The full impact of COVID-19 on businesses, individuals and world economies is still unknown, but where some see challenges, others see opportunities or chances to help, as Novagraaf's Vanessa Harrow explains.

As the coronavirus spreads, so too do related trademark applications. It’s only the latest example of how registrations follow medical and political news.