Local Insights

Duncan Maguire and Paul Ramara of Spoor & Fisher explain how Tanzania’s recently introduced trademark recordation system now accepts ARIPO and foreign registrations, while national filings remain the strongest enforcement tool

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

James Davies and Vishen Pillay at Adams & Adams discuss IP protection strategies and ownership considerations for AI

Traditional IP enforcement measures are sometimes ill-equipped to deal with the rapidly evolving nature of internet resources in the digital era. Thailand has been responding to the exponential rise of online IP infringement on a rolling basis – most recently in 2017 when it amended the Computer Crime Act (CCA) to give IP owners the option of blocking websites that post IP-infringing content. This is set out in Section 20(3) of the law.

On April 21 2020, Beijing High Court issued the guiding opinions on the determination of damages in cases of infringement of intellectual property rights and unfair competition as well as the judging standards for statutory compensation ("关于侵害知识产权及不正当竞争案件确定损害赔偿的指导意见及法定赔偿的裁判标准") (opinions).

In September 2020, New Zealanders will participate in a non-binding cannabis referendum on the question of whether to legalise the use and supply of cannabis. New Zealanders will be given the option of voting either for or against the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill (the Bill). The final version of the Bill, which was released in May 2020, legalises the use of cannabis for persons over the age of 20, but places severe restrictions around the promotion and packaging of cannabis products.

Vera Albino of Inventa explores how Portuguese wine producers use seemingly offensive names rooted in local history and folklore, and why trademark law often permits their registration

Peter Koefoed of Inspicos examines how the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal referral G 1/26 could clarify the application of G 1/24 when assessing the allowability of amended patent claims under the EPC

Alexander Ortlieb, Moritz Kampmann, and Stephan Maidl of Maiwald highlight six EPO appeal decisions that map the absolute floor of what patent applications for AI inventions must disclose – and how spectacularly some applicants miss that mark

Eduardo Hallak, Juliana Neves, and Sarah Lucas of Licks Attorneys examine Brazil's growing debate over patent term adjustment and the legislative proposals seeking to address examination delays

Stephania Cardiel of Becerril, Coca & Becerril examines how recent reforms signal a regional move towards faster, more internationally aligned innovation systems

Roberta Arantes of Daniel Law looks at how the Brazilian legal landscape has responded to shifts in the concept of branding and its related levels of protection

Red Points, in partnership with Managing IP hosted a webinar on April 7 at 9am PDT / 12pm EDT / 5pm BST to discuss best practices in uncovering and dismantling large-scale counterfeiters

Mauricio Sámano of OLIVARES explores how the pandemic has changed IP processes for businesses in Mexico

Santiago Pedroza of OLIVARES looks at how the opposition procedure has undergone changes to protect right holders

Raluca Vasilescu of Cabinet M Oproiu considers how AI and pricing pressures could affect patent attorneys’ work in the near future

Nick Aries of Bird & Bird LLP examines how agentic AI could reshape brand discovery, trademark enforcement, and comparative advertising, and outlines key risks for brand owners

Tariq Shajahan and Willem Niesing of NLO analyse dredging-related patent filings in key jurisdictions and highlight contrasting Western and Asian approaches to innovation, from component-level engineering to system-wide methodologies and AI-driven optimisation