Trademarks & Domain Names

Since the UK left the EU on 31 December 2020, UK-based businesses and citizens are no longer eligible to own or renew .eu domain name registrations.

Read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Brexit and IP, from cloning of EU trademark and design rights to conversions, renewals, representation, customs applications, geographical indications, SPCs and much more.

Decision in 'Frigidaire' provides a reminder of the importance, yet difficulty, of quantifying and assessing genuine use. Trademark owners cannot be reminded enough of the vigilance that is necessary in this area.

The soccer world has been in mourning since 25 November, after Diego Maradona died at the age of 60 following a cardiac arrest. One of the greatest football players of all time, Maradona is also well known among IP professionals for his 2019 dispute with Dolce & Gabbana, as Léa de Ladoucette explains.

With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis providing added incentive, consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels to access products and services. The recent phenomenon of influencer marketing offers both opportunities and pitfalls for brand owners, says Casper Hemelrijk.

The European Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has found that Ferrari can retain the trademark rights to the Testarossa brand, even though production of the iconic sports car was discontinued in the 1990s, as Theo Visser explains.

The UK’s departure from the EU at the end of this year will change the territorial requirements for genuine use of EU and UK trademarks, as Vanessa Harrow explains.

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.

Many companies estimate the health and relative worth of their IP portfolios based on size alone. However, those IP rights could be worth far less if the following checks and balances are not also considered.

On 31 December, the Brexit transition period will come to an end and the UK will officially leave the EU. Vanessa Harrow looks in detail at the implications for trademark and design rights, including ongoing contentious proceedings.

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.

Investment in branding is key to building customer loyalty and marketshare, so what should you do if the goodwill or reputation of your brand is threatened by endorsement by the ‘wrong’ type of customer? We offer some advice.