News

With effect from Wednesday 23rd March there will be a number of name changes implemented in relation to Intellectual Property organisations and rights. ·    The Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) will be known as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). ·    Community Trade Marks (CTM’s) will change to EU Trade Marks. […]

PMS International Group Plc (Respondent) v Magmatic Limited (Appellant)  [2016] UKSC 12 This case came before the Supreme Court following earlier proceedings at the High Court and Court of Appeal. Two designs were at issue (pictured, left to right): the ‘Trunki’, Magmatic’s Registered Community Design (RCD), and the Kiddee Case by PMS, in various iterations, […]

Case C-396/15 P Shoe Branding Europe BVBA v Adidas AG European Court of Justice, 17 February 2016 The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has upheld a decision of the General Court allowing Adidas to oppose the registration of a trade mark consisting of two parallel stripes placed on the side of footwear. Shoe Branding Europe, […]

The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced increases in its renewal fees from 1 April 2016. The fees will increase by approximately 1%. For example, the 6th year renewal will increase from €1040 to €1050. Meanwhile, the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) has also announced changes in renewal fees effective from 1 April 2016, a reduction […]

The UPC Preparatory Committee has today announced the finalised court fees, including some notable changes. Now that much of the procedure for opting out of the UPC has been finalised, the committee has recognised that the administrative burden involved in processing a request to opt out would not be as complex as first anticipated.  As […]

The UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced that a referendum will be held on 23 June 2016 to decide whether the UK will remain a member of the European Union. It is widely expected that the UK will vote to remain in the EU, but we are happy to confirm that, regardless of the […]