News & opinion

Should ‘applied art’, such as furniture or modular design systems, be subject to a stricter test of originality in copyright law than other works, such as paintings or novels?

From 1 December 2025, EU producers who make traditional products from a specific region can obtain the same legal status and protection as EU producers of agricultural products, wines and spirits. Volha Parfenchyk introduces the new EU protected Geographical Indication (GI), what it covers and the process of registration.  

With 24 official languages and three official alphabets, considering linguistic diversity within the EU can be a real headache when assessing the risk of trademark confusion, as Louise Péchoux discusses in the context of the recent ruling on the Schweppes May Tea trademark by the EU General Court. 

In today’s global marketplace, protecting your brand across borders is more complex than ever, especially when it comes to opposition, cancellation and board procedures. By leveraging local expertise and cutting-edge technology, you can power your global brand protection strategy.

Unfair competition and parasitism are major concerns in trademark law, particularly in the luxury sector, where the visual identity of products is crucial. Florence Chapin explores the topic in the context of a recent ruling by France’s Court of Cassation in the dispute between Van Cleef & Arpels and Louis Vuitton over the use of a four-lobed clover motif.

Without trust in the accuracy, coverage and strategic relevancy of the trademark rights in your intellectual property portfolio, how can you be confident in your ability to protect and enforce your valuable brand assets? As part of a comprehensive trademark audit programme, trademark analysis will help your portfolio bloom in the coming year, says guest contributor Elena Galletti, Head of Trademark Services Architecture at Questel.

The European Patent Office (EPO) published its second study on innovation in cancer technologies in February, revealing that Europe leads the way in oncology startups but lags behind the United States and China in cancer innovation. Nadège Lagneau explores the key findings, including the central role played by public research in European oncology innovation. 

Costa Rica has become the latest country to join the list of EPO validation states after the European Patent Office and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Justice and Peace signed a historic agreement for the validation of European patents.

In January 2025, the French Football Federation (FFF) successfully opposed an EU trademark depicting a highly stylised rooster similar to its distinctive logo. Florence Chapin examines the EUIPO rooster trademark opposition decision, the EU General Court's ruling and the implications for holders of figurative marks.

The Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil (INPI) officially joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme on 1 January 2025, offering applicants new opportunities to obtain patents more quickly and efficiently in the country.

The Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) became the official source for accessing registration data for generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) names on 28 January 2025, replacing the now obsolete WHOIS service. Marc-Emmanuel Mellet explains what this means in practice. 

The recent dispute over the Chanel N°5 trademark raises the question of whether you can register a number as a trademark in the EU. Clarisse Merdy provides some helpful guidance on numeric trademarks and figurative trademark rights.