AWA Point
Recent Measures Introduced by CTMO
By AWA | Posted on April 15, 2016
On March 24, 2016, the China Trademark Office (CTMO) announced the implementation of certain measures from that date. FAQ – An FAQ on trademark applications is put up on the CTMO’s website. The FAQ mainly deals with the practicalities involved in the filing procedures. While this may be a useful source for the basics, it...
Tags: China Trademark Office, CTMO
Artists’ rights ./. Freedom of panorama
By AWA | Posted on April 11, 2016
Wikimedia Sverige has compiled images of art in public places in a database. This database is open to all, free of charge and is intended for the general public, the educational system and tourism. The project was in fact financially supported by Vinnova, a governmentally owned organization for supporting innovation and business development in Sweden....
Tags: BUS, copyright infringement, Vinnova, Wikimedia Sverige
Third strike hits the European Patent Office
By AWA | Posted on April 7, 2016
Last month, 91% (3,701) of 4062 of European Patent Office (EPO) employees voted for a one day strike to be held on April 7 at the EPO’s offices in Munich, The Hague, Berlin and Vienna. It thus adds to a number of strikes that has hit EPO since former Chairman of the Administrative Council of...
Tags: Benoît Battistelli, EPO, European Patent Office, SUEPO
Use of non-distinctive signs
By Niclas Dahlberg | Posted on March 21, 2016
The new Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 amending Council Regulation 207/2009/EC on the Community Trade Mark will enter into force from 23 March 2016 To the list of activities which a trademark owner will not in future be able to prevent a further exclusion has been added. The descriptive use defense (on the kind, quality, quantity, intended...
Tags: Community Trade Mark
End to own name defence for corporate names
By Niclas Dahlberg | Posted on March 16, 2016
The new Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 amending Council Regulation 207/2009/EC on the Community Trade Mark (CTM) will enter into force from 23 March 2016 The use of another’s registered trade mark without consent as a trade name or company name will now specifically be deemed infringing use. Using a sign as a trade name or a company name can infringe...
Tags: Community Trade Mark, CTM, EU trademark application, Maier v ASOS
New ways to obtain trademark and design rights on the Faroe Islands
By AWA | Posted on March 9, 2016
Today there is only one way to obtain a trademark right on the Faroe Islands and that is by filing for a national Danish trademark. A designation of Denmark through the Madrid Protocol will only cover Denmark and Greenland, but not the Faroe Islands. As of April 13, 2016 this will change. The government of...
Making well founded decisions about opting out…
By AWA | Posted on March 3, 2016
…of the Unified Patent Court and requesting Unitary Effect for your European Patent The benefit of requesting Unitary Effect for your European Patent is obvious to anyone, by payment of only one renewal fee, equivalent to that of four national renewal fees, a territory potentially covering 25 EU states, if all current Contracting Member States...
Tags: European patents, UPC
Trademark Protection in China – if everyone could be Disney…
By AWA | Posted on February 29, 2016
In October 2015, the Chinese State Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) announced a special one-year nationwide campaign to protect the Disney trademarks. The campaign aims at attacking infringements of Disney trademarks, protecting the rights of consumers, creating a fair market and maintaining China’s international image of IPR protection. Routine monitoring (including online monitoring) will...
Tags: Administration for Industry and Commerce, Disney, SAIC, Shanghai AIC
Revised PACE programme from 1 January 2016
By AWA | Posted on February 12, 2016
The programme for accelerated prosecution of European Patent Applications (PACE) allows applicants to request that the European Patent Office (EPO) processes their application rapidly. The request must be filed in writing, but will be excluded from file inspection. In certain technical fields there has been constraints on how fast the EPO has been able to...
Tags: ECfS, ED, EESR, EPO, European Patent Applications, European Patent Office, ISA, PACE, PCT
Changes to the European Trademark system
By AWA | Posted on February 9, 2016
Classification reform – Article 28 (8) As we mentioned in our blog on 18 January 2016, a new regulation on the European Trademark (EUTMR) will enter into force on 23 March 2016. One of the changes concerns the scope of protection of a trademark registered in the European Union (“EU Trademarks”). The new regulation reflects...
Tags: Article 28 (8), Case C-307/10, Classification reform, EUTMR
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