News & opinion

Must a compound be shown to be suitable for each disease for first medical use claims to be sufficiently disclosed in applications for European patents, asks Matthieu Boulard. 

The short answer is ‘yes’, you can own a fictional character, says UK Trademark Attorney Luke Portnow, and this summer the UK saw a particularly interesting case law development in copyright protection. 

As the Advocate General issues its opinion in a case concerning design registration of a bike saddle, Volha Parfenchyk discusses what is meant by ‘normal use’ in the context of EU design rights.

Stop the Press! 'HOUSE OF ZANA' has been found to be different from 'ZARA'.  To many, this will not have come as a surprise.  When trademark applications are opposed, applicants (and/or their representatives) are familiar with the argument “the marks only differ by one letter”.  Increasingly, that argument does not bear much weight at the UK IPO Tribunal Section.

From patents protecting core innovation to trademark and design rights, IP registrations have been a vital cog in the success of the watch industry, not least when it comes to stamping down on counterfeits and other forms of trademark infringement.

Caterpillar, Inc has successfully challenged the August 2020 European trademark application for ‘FLOWERCAT’ on the basis that the mark infringes its earlier rights to both the word and figurative (device) marks for ‘CAT’. Noa Rubingh reviews the recent ruling.

Patents to protect innovation are applied for and owned only by their ‘human’ inventor, so what happens if a product is produced entirely and autonomously by a highly advanced computer? This question has been at the heart of a number of proceedings before patent offices around the world, including the EPO, as Volha Parfenchyk explains.

The EU General Court has issued its decision in the decade-long dispute over the 'Spinning' trademark, as used for exercise-related goods and services. Aurélie Guetin cycles back to take a look at the proceedings.

As the high-profile ruling in BavariaWeed illustrated earlier this year, many (illegal) drug references, images and terms are not eligible for trademark registration in the EU on the grounds of public order or morality. What can be registered depends largely on the type of drug to which the trademark refers.

With the aim of promoting the use of the French language in commerce, the Quebec government adopted a bill on 24 May 2022 entitled ‘An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec’. Volha Parfenchyk explains the contents and implications of the new law. 

When you choose to file a trademark registration can have a direct impact on its validity. Too soon and it could lapse for non-use; too late and it could be invalid. Sigolène Pellet  discusses the key elements to consider when determining the right time to register a trademark.

Model and socialite Hailey Bieber is just one of a long list of celebrities to have registered trademarks to maximise the brand and business opportunities that can come with fame. But fame alone is not enough to guarantee a straightforward trademark registration.