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Patents
Lawyers at Simmons & Simmons look ahead to a UK Supreme Court hearing in which the court will consider whether English courts can determine FRAND terms when the licence is offered by an intermediary rather than an SEP owner
February 16, 2026
Features list
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In a landmark decision, Germany's Supreme Court has put the onus on online auctioneers to stop counterfeit goods being advertised. Henning Hartwig examines whether the ruling will be welcomed by trade mark owners -
As business leaders increasingly recognize the value of IP rights, it is more important to consider the tax issues involved in protecting them, argue Isabel Verlinden, Axel Smits and Patrick Boone
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In a follow-up to their article in the October issue, David Barron and Alexandra Brodie examine how to enforce business method patents in Europe
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Alain Pompidou takes over as president of the EPO as industry is becoming increasingly frustrated at the slow pace of patent reform in Europe. MIP visited Munich to ask him about his plans for the presidency. Interview introduced by James Nurton
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US patent laws are increasingly affecting activities taking place outside the US. Philippe Signore and Pierre Michon examine six examples of this trend
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Last month, after a long wait, the .eu registry signed a contract with the European Commission to start offering domains next year. But, as Tony Willoughby argues, the EC Regulations governing .eu (733/2002 and 874/2004) will lead to chaos and uncertainty and must be radically reexamined
Local Insights
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Bird & Bird
Fame means not all literary figure marks are created equal, says Charlotte Colthurst of Bird & Bird in examining an EUIPO Grand Board of Appeal ruling
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Becerril, Coca & Becerril
Stephania Cardiel of Becerril, Coca & Becerril examines how recent reforms signal a regional move towards faster, more internationally aligned innovation systems
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Inlex
Pravir Palayathan of Inlex explains Mauritius’ customs-led system for protecting trademarks, regulating authorised importers and exporters, and swiftly seizing counterfeit goods
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That.Legal
Gillian Tan of That.Legal explains how accidental font licensing gaps arise in practice, and how Singapore’s compensatory copyright framework affects enforcement outcomes
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Inlex
Igor Charles of Inlex explains how the EUIPO Board of Appeal recognised the Givenchy 4G logo’s reputation in France, linking luxury goods to financial services under Article 8(5) of the EU Trademark Regulation
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Wanhuida Intellectual Property
Yue Guan of Wanhuida Intellectual Property explains how the CNIPA’s rulings on mirogabalin besylate tablets highlight the importance of formulation patent drafting and claim amendments in China’s drug patent landscape
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Tilleke & Gibbins
Thanh Phuong Vu of Tilleke & Gibbins explains how Vietnam’s 2025 Intellectual Property Law amendment introduces protection for partial and intangible designs under Locarno Class 32
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Gün and Partners
A reversal decision by the Turkish Court of Cassation clarifies when patent enforcement may trigger unfair competition liability, report Aysel Korkmaz Yatkın, Selin Sinem Erciyas, and Beste Turan Kurtoğlu of Gün and Partners
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Hanol IP & Law
Min Son of Hanol IP & Law explains how the decision clarifies that multiple-word trademarks can infringe if an element serves as an essential distinctive part
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Saint Island International Patent & Law Offices
Taiwan has stepped up trade secret enforcement through legislative reform and court practice, says Tony Tung-Yang Chang of Saint Island International Patent & Law Offices