Local Insights

Duncan Maguire of Spoor & Fisher Jersey explains a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal of Tanzania confirming that such trademarks are unenforceable unless registered nationally with the trademarks office in Tanzania

Herman Blignaut of Spoor & Fisher South Africa addresses whether the act extends to intellectual property rights and reassures brand owners that constitutional protection remains intact

David Cochrane of Spoor & Fisher South Africa explains the key updates under the act, which strengthens breeder protections while supporting vulnerable farmers and aligning with international norms

Experts from Vivien Chan & Co report on significant developments from the IP world across China and the Asia-Pacific

Sumitomo Bakelite has manufactured and sold each device comprising a portable and disposable device for continuous low pressure suction or a set of these devices (collectively SB Bag) with the product name "SB Bag" since 1984. Those consisting of a drainage bottle and a suction bottle in SB Bag are the relevant products belonging to Sumitomo Bakelite in this case. Nippon Covidien has manufactured and sold its product since January 2018.

Korea Seed Industry Act (KSIA) and its Implementing Regulation, effective as of June 19 2020, a person who intends to sell propagating materials of certain types of foreign plant varieties should report this fact to the Ministry for Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), along with submission of evidence proving that such propagating materials have been "legally obtained" (Article 38 of KSIA, Article 27 of Implementing Regulation thereof). In other words, in order to sell propagating materials of foreign plant varieties in Korea, a seed supplier shall have a duty to prove that he has lawfully acquired the same.

Igor Charles and Franck Soutoul of Inlex examine a Paris Court of Appeal ruling that fully invalidated a ‘Richard Mille’ trademark for fraud despite limits on protection based on reputation

Marco Stief of Maiwald argues that the District Court of The Hague missed an opportunity to clarify the uncertainty surrounding the term ‘first authorisation’ in Article 3(d) of the SPC Regulation in a recent judgment

The ruling addresses the impact of device mark differences, proof of use, and well-known status arguments, say Hande Hançar Koç, Havva Yıldız, and Zeynep Berfin Ekinci of Gün and Partners

María Aurora García of Berken IP explains how Resolution No. 583 narrows trademark examination to absolute grounds, shifting relative grounds and other objections to third-party enforcement

María Aurora García of Berken IP explains how Argentina’s evolving non-use cancellation system strengthens trademark integrity, streamlines registration, and promotes fairer market competition through efficient, partial, and administrative cancellation mechanisms

Senior patent attorneys at Licks Attorneys say recent UK court decisions on FRAND licensing conflict with Brazilian judicial sovereignty and the TRIPS framework governing the territorial independence of patents

Anne-Raphaëlle Aubry of Bird & Bird explains how Section 1782 and Rule of Procedure 190 offer different pathways for cross-border evidence gathering in European patent disputes, highlighting timing, scope, and strategic considerations for litigants

Monica Sánchez of Becerril, Coca & Becerril explains how the Mexican intellectual property framework, including compulsory licences and the Bolar clause, works alongside emerging technologies to balance pharmaceutical innovation with public health access

Carlos Hernández León of Becerril, Coca & Becerril outlines how Mexico’s shift from NAFTA-based patent term extensions to the new SPC regime affects patent holders, particularly in pharmaceuticals, and the strategic steps to secure additional protection

Raluca Vasilescu of Cabinet M Oproiu concludes a series on the use of artificial intelligence in patent practice by analysing how AI assistants affect the skilled reader’s perspective and the drafting of patent applications

Raluca Vasilescu of Cabinet M Oproiu continues a series on AI’s potential use in patent practice by analysing drafting experiments focused on differentiating from the closest prior art

In this opening article of a series, Raluca Vasilescu of Cabinet M Oproiu explains her conclusions after experimenting with various AI assistants when responding to office actions in patent applications