The recent dispute over the Chanel trademark N°5 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.
Can you register a number as a trademark in the EU?
The EU patent system has changed! We explain how to select the optimal European patent protection strategy for your market needs, budget and business objectives.
How to navigate European patent protection in 2025 and beyond
If a trademark becomes so common that consumers start using the original brand name as a generic term, you might see it as a compliment. However, from a legal perspective, this type of trademark dilution can undermine your rights to that brand name.
Trademark dilution: Don't allow your brand to become a verb or generic term!
Meeting the requirements for trademark distinctiveness is vital for all types of trademarks in the EU but arguing that a mark is distinctive can be even harder in the case of non-traditional trademarks, such as colours and shapes.
Too simple to succeed? The Chiquita case and trademark distinctiveness in the EU
Download our strategic guide to European patent strategies, from the Unitary Patent to national validations and a mixed approach, along with expert guidance on how to select the optimal strategy according to your market needs, budget and business objectives.
A strategic guide to European patent protection
On 8 December 2024, the EU Design Reform package finally entered into force. Volha Parfenchyk explains what the changes mean for design owners in the EU.
EU design law: Preparing for a digital age
What happens if a brand owner applies for a trademark with an overly broad specification of products or services? Aaron Wood shares insights from a recent UK ruling on broad trademarks and bad faith that looks set to impact European trademark holders, too.
Will SkyKick set new limits for trademark registrations in the UK and EU?
Recent UK court decisions – SkyKick and Adidas – are raising critical questions about trademark strategy. This on-demand webinar explores the implications for trademark protection, enforcement and best practices.
[Webinar] Lessons in brand protection: SkyKick and Adidas
What happens if you use a trademark in a virtual, rather than a real-world environment? Omar Hassan shares the practical guidelines released in 2024 by the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property.
Trademarks in a virtual world: Swiss IP Office publishes its new practice
Louis Vuitton has successfully opposed an EU trademark application for ‘XL Sporting’ based on the trademark reputation of its iconic LV monogram. The EUIPO’s Opposition Division found that the differences between the signs were eclipsed by similarities in the arrangement of the two letters, thereby creating a similar visual overall impression, as Florence Chapin explains.
Louis Vuitton flexes trademark reputation of LV monogram in EU
Does the use of a fictitious date constitute a deceptive trademark in the EU? This is the question currently before the CJEU. Read our article to find out more.
Does including a fictitious date create a deceptive trademark?
Unique to European law, trademark seniority claims provide a practical and economical tool for trademark owners looking to consolidate national registrations. Nonetheless, seniority claims should be handled with caution to avoid irreversible consequences, as Pauline Pilaudeau explains.
Trademark seniority claims under EU law: Advantages and disadvantages