Insights

Reform of the European Trademark System

By AWA | Posted on January 18, 2016

After some years work on aligning and improving the European trademark system a new legislative package on trademarks has finally been accepted by the EU Parliament at the end of 2015. The new Trademark Directive is already in force, but needs to be implemented as national legislation within the next three years. The further course...

Tags: Community Trade Mark, CTM, EU Intellectual Property Office, EU Trademark, EUIPO, European Trademark, EUTMR, Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market, OHIM

The fight against fake drugs in Africa

By AWA | Posted on January 4, 2016

About 100,000 deaths a year in Africa are linked to the counterfeit drugs trade, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Sometimes counterfeit medicine kills directly, as in 2008 when 84 Nigerian babies given a teething mixture called ‘My Pikin’ were killed (the standard glycerin had been replaced with cheaper – and poisonous – diethylene...

Tags: anti-malarial drug, counterfeit medicine, Lonart DS, My Pikin, WHO

Brazil drives onto the Patent Prosecution Highway

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on December 23, 2015

With the beginning of the year 2016, the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) family will welcome aboard an important new addition, namely the Brazilian Patent Office, INPI. With this addition the clear majority of the patent offices of the World’s biggest economies will have at least one PPH agreement. Thus the PPH becomes an even more...

Tags: Brazilian Patent Office, INPI, patent prosecution highway, PPH, The United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO

Names as trademarks – maybe not such a good idea!

By AWA | Posted on December 17, 2015

In Denmark the owner of a trademark cannot prevent others from branding themselves under their own name, as long as it is done in accordance with good marketing practice. This means that as long as the use of your own name does not lead to confusion, it is possible to trade under this name. Therefore...

Tags: Trademark

Andorran patent law enters into force

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on December 9, 2015

In the heart of the Pyrenees Mountains, on the border between France and Spain, lies a small independent country. This country, of course, is The Principality of Andorra. The co-princes exercising sovereignty over Andorra are the President of the French Republic and the (Spanish) Bishop of Urgel. Andorra is not part of the European Union....

Change on climate and fast-tracking green innovations

By AWA | Posted on December 2, 2015

A while ago I wrote a blog post about being profitable and still doing good things for the climate. I believe that there are many inventors out there who have found really cool and smart solutions to many of the problems of today, for instance how to provide electricity to poor and rural locations, how...

Tags: climate-change, Dechezleprêtre, fast-tracking, green innovations, patents, recycling

The Unitary Patent takes an (inventive) step towards grant

By Love Koči | Posted on November 26, 2015

The Unitary Patent provides a new way for innovators and companies to protect their intellectual property in the EU. Currently, European patents are granted centrally by the European Patent Office (EPO), but result in a bundle of national patents which must be enforced on a country-by-country basis. In contrast, the Unitary Patent means that a...

Tags: EPO, renewal fee, unitary patent, UP

Copycats in China: The canary in the coalmine for foreign companies?

By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 16, 2015

The recent media report concerning the “fake” Goldman Sachs in China has sparked another series of stories about counterfeits in China… but has it sparked a call to action yet? Throwbacks to the bogus Apple stores and the concocted IKEA shops both found in Kunming in 2011 come to mind. Whilst foreign companies are amazed...

Tougher measures on advertising in China (wef 1 September 2015): Caveat Vendor

By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 10, 2015

The recent case of smart phone maker Xiaomi coming under investigation for misleading consumers through false advertising, is a cautionary tale for companies seeking to promote their products and services in China. The company was caught by the New Advertising Law in China, enacted on 1st September 2015, which clamps down on fictitious advertising. By...

Tags: AIC, anti-puffery, Caveat Vendor

Crowdsourcing or a maker – do you need to care about IP?

By AWA | Posted on October 30, 2015

In recent year’s crowdsourcing, i.e. inviting a community to take part in developing a new product or service has become increasingly popular. The instant feedback from the community allows for a rapid and agile development process, where everyone taking part in the development can feel great pride in the finished product. Simultaneously a movement called...

Tags: crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, makerspaces