Local Insights

Jen Colantoni of Spoor & Fisher summarises Libya’s new $2,000 annual trademark renewal fee for foreign applicants and alerts brand owners to several strategic considerations

New patent and utility model procedures and updated fees form part of a legislative update to the Bangui Agreement that became effective in the new year, explains Craig Kahn of Spoor & Fisher Jersey

Matthew Costard of Spoor & Fisher Jersey considers application of the Madrid Protocol across Africa as Ethiopia’s intellectual property practice looks set to move closer to global standards

Ranjan Narula and Shakti Priyan Nair of RNA, Technology and IP Attorneys examine how Indian law and recent court rulings have shaped comparative advertising and trademark disparagement in an increasingly competitive marketplace

Min Son of Hanol IP & Law summarises a Korean Supreme Court ruling on when consumer surveys are admissible in trademark litigation and outlines key takeaways for ensuring survey credibility and evidentiary value

Guanyang Yao of Liu, Shen & Associates reviews several Chinese court rulings on standard-essential patent disputes, including Panasonic v Oppo, and the growing judicial focus on mediation and comparable licences over top-down rate setting

Uğur Aktekin, Selin Bilik, and Bilge Ayperi Kemer of Gün + Partners examine a ruling confirming that trademark distinctiveness and reputation can prove bad faith under Turkish law

Selin Sinem Erciyas and Beste Turan Kurtoğlu of Gün + Partners analyse a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling that could reshape patent litigation strategies and increase competition between international courts

Wendela Hårdemark and Beatrice Rälg of Bird & Bird explore the outlook for Swedish copyright law, as reciprocity rules are set to be dismantled, and contract interpretation takes a decisive new direction

It is not uncommon to hear that design protection is often underestimated or even forgotten compared to other forms of IP, like trademarks, patents, and copyright. In Brazil, that seems to be the case when you compare the average of 6,000+ design applications filed annually, with the 245,000+ trademarks and 28,000+ patents filings.

Brazil is one of the newest members of the Madrid Protocol. It has been part of the protocol since October 2 2019. An international system was long overdue and less than 10 months in it has received 5,500+ BR designations, covering 13,300+ classes.

Unfortunately, Mexico remains on the Watch List of the Annual Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection and Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy compiled by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). In this document, the United States government reviews and evaluates the protection actions that governments have taken to fight against counterfeits and piracy. The document concluded that the Mexican government has so far not adequately implemented the necessary actions for the protection of intellectual property rights.

Lawyers from Ropes & Gray joined Managing IP to discuss licensing negotiation groups

Alejandro Salas of OLIVARES questions whether requiring the submission of original objects for comparison is hindering the proper enforcement of trademark rights and represents an ‘improper interpretation’ of the criminal statute

With TikTok videos frequently using music created by popular artists and adding a personal touch to trends, Jaime Ortega of OLIVARES answers a central question regarding whether the videos constitute original creations or reproductions