Features
While European trademark practice is on the cusp of significant change, the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market’s (OHIM) gaze is firmly focused on the present. In this year’s annual OHIM survey we asked users to assess the office’s current performance and the likely impact that the legislative package will have once enacted
Trademark enforcement at the borders looks set to become a hot topic for all importers of goods to the Mexican market, as well as for rights holders seeking to enforce their trademarks
As political relations between Cuba and the United States look set to thaw, many businesses are considering the commercial opportunities that might result from this new situation. Unfortunately, this has prompted a rush of Cuban applications for well-known US trademarks
Now that a referendum on EU membership is certain, trademark owners are asking what might happen to their rights in the event of a British exit, or ‘Brexit’ – and whether there are any practical steps they can take now
Everyone who cares about individuality, innovation and choice should bear in mind why the world is indeed better when society respects intellectual property.
While valuators tend to describe trademarks as having an indefinite life, this is seldom the case. However, there are various ways to estimate a mark’s remaining useful life, which can be beneficial for accounting
With plain packaging legislation in place in Australia and now Ireland – and on the agenda in several other countries – the tobacco companies are fighting back, claiming that such regulation threatens the basis of all IP rights
Since eBay was launched in 1995, it has become a key battleground in the fight against fakes. On its 20th anniversary, director of global intellectual property Amber Leavitt explains the unique challenges of protecting one of the Web’s most iconic marques while positioned at the vanguard of the global anti-counterfeiting effort
Cases involving decoding – where retailers alter or remove the identifying marks placed on goods by rights holders – sit at the intersection of IP and competition law and need careful analysis, depending on both the sector and jurisdiction involved
If the US-Cuba trade embargo is lifted, one of the important legal issues to resolve will concern trademarks – notably, how existing brands in each country will be protected and enforced in the other
The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights expands on its recent activities, including insights from its research project, the Quantification of IP Rights Infringement
News
Country correspondent
RNA Intellectual Property AttorneysFor a multinational corporation, there may be a number of reasons to license its trademarks in an emerging economy such as India
Uhthoff, Gomez Vega & UhthoffRights holders need to take care over licensing agreements in order to achieve increased sales revenues
Bugnion SpAAccording to Italian law, licensing agreements may be revised to meet any of the parties’ special requirements and consequently trademarks can be fully exploited
Bereskin & Parr LLP
Amendments to Canada’s Trademarks Act are set to directly affect licensing strategies
Vilau I AssociatesRomanian competition law prohibits anti-competitive agreements and practices and the abuse of dominant market positions
Davis Wright TremaineUse of third-party marks without consent in advertising or expressive works that might be viewed as advertising always carries some element of risk
Kangxin Partners PCTrademark licensing in China continues to increase in scope and frequency, but certain considerations must be examined to ensure brand integrity
Locke LordA robust licensing regime can significantly boost a company’s turnover
Roundtable
A panel of trademark and brand protection experts presents key learnings from the first round of new gTLD applications
Columns
The Geneva Act has now been adopted. However, there are fears that the act could fuel conflict between geographical indications, trademarks and generic use, given the broad definitions and rules on the scope of protection
Trademark intelligence
A number of sophisticated innovations for trademark management systems are entering the market. While these have the potential to help trademark groups streamline processes and drive down costs, managers face the challenge of staying abreast of these developments and choosing the right one
