EU

Conflicting older trademark registrations may not necessarily block the registration of your chosen brand name. Noé Himmelreich explains how an in-use verification search can help you to assess legal and commercial risk.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) at the European Patent Office (EPO) has issued its much-awaited decision in the consolidated cases G1/22 and G2/22. Chris Poll summarises the ruling and its implications for patent holders. 

You have a fantastic idea for your company and launch it with a beautiful and striking brand name and/or logo, but did you remember to check that your chosen name is available first?

Which variations of use are authorised for figurative trademarks, especially ones registered in black and white? A recent EUIPO ruling has helped to illustrate what constitutes a “permissible variation”, as Marianne Tissot explains. 

From 1 November 2023, recipients of EPO communications will no longer be able to benefit from the additional 10-day response period (known as the EPO "10-day rule”). Clémence de Masfrand outlines the implications. 

The first successful application under the UK Geographical Indication (GI) scheme has recently been granted to Welsh Whisky. Protection for this product has been brought about by the surge in its popularity and the expansion of the industry in recent years.

Since the launch of the UPC system on 1 June 2023, holders of European patents and European patents with unitary effect (‘unitary patents’) have been able to bring actions against third parties in a single legal procedure. 

As of 1 June 2023, organisations can benefit from the new unitary patent and Unified Patent Court system in Europe. We set out the answers to some frequently asked questions about this new European patent right in our updated white paper 'The Unitary Patent: A practical guide'.

Since 1 June 2023, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has replaced national courts as the court of jurisdiction for infringement and invalidity actions relating to unitary patents and European patents that have not been opted out from the new court system.

IP rights provide an invaluable means for protecting the heart and soul of a brand. That's why identifying what trademarks to protect and proactively maintaining those rights is so crucial to the brand development process.

Does the use of a trademark in a connected sector constitute genuine use of that mark? What if that mark is used in differing forms? Florence Chapin outlines a recent EU General Court ruling that provides some answers.

Which court has competency when trademark infringement takes place online? A recent CJEU ruling considered this question in the context of a dispute over meta tag and Google Ads trademark infringement. Volha Parfenchyk outlines its implications.