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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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The European Commission has come down firmly against using competition law to bring about international exhaustion in the EU. Thomas Heide examines its reasoning, and asks whether political action is now likely -
Failing to obtain a foreign filing licence in the US can lead to the invalidation of a patent, and even imprisonment of the patentee. Dervis Magistre explains that overseas companies doing research in the US must take care to follow the rules
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Rapid innovation and intense investment in the biotech industry has required patent protection to adjust accordingly. Antonina Pakharenko-Anderson explains how Ukraine is rising to the biotech challenge
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Bruce Proctor has global responsibility for all IP matters at premium drinks company Diageo. He tells Ingrid Hering about the challenges of protecting a brand portfolio that includes Smirnoff, Baileys and Guinness
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Interview: Judge Arjen Meij, Court of First Instance With an increasing number of Community Trade Mark cases reaching the European courts, Stéphanie Bodoni asks judge Arjen Meij from the European Court of First Instance how well the system is coping
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A local farmer's appeal to Canada's Supreme Court in a case involving agribusiness leader Monsanto could set the limits of patent holders' rights. Sam Mamudi examines the dispute
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