MIP Search | Managing Intellectual Property

The fate of a hair removal method patent in Europe

About two years ago, a Board of Appeal (BoA) of the European Patent Office (EPO) issued a decision in examination appeal on the patentability of a cosmetic treatment method (T383/03). Recently, it appeared that this decision was "not in line with current well-established practice". The decision itself, but also the fate of the patent and its family members, is an interesting learning case of how things may (not) work in Europe.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Botswana accedes to the Madrid Protocol

As reported recently in MIP Week, Botswana acceded to the Madrid Protocol on September 5 2006. It will, however, only become a party to the Madrid Protocol with effect from December 5 2006.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

New patent fast track

The prosecution of patent applications in Argentina normally takes from six to 10 years depending on the technical field involved. The Patent Office (INPI) has reacted to this reality by allowing a second fast track.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Jeffery West wins jWest spat

This was an opposition brought by Mark Richard Jeffery and Guy Anthony (the opponents), owners of the registered mark Jeffery-West in Class 25, against Nautical Concept (the applicant) who applied to register jWEST as a trade mark in Class 25 for similar goods (shoes and footwear).

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Are three-dimensional signs registrable in the EU?

The difficulties likely to be faced by businesses that seek trade mark protection for three-dimensional signs which have a functional feature were revisited in a recent Opinion of Advocate General Leger in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Dyson Ltd v Registrar (Case C-321/03).

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

KIPO's fee refund plans

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has decided to introduce a system to refund, in certain cases, the full amount of the submitted application fee and the request for examination fee. This will be available to applicants who decide to cancel or abandon a patent, utility model, design or trade mark application that has already been submitted if, for example, their circumstances change or their application was incorrect.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

New Zealand tackles ambush marketing

The New Zealand government is drafting a Major Events Management Bill (the Bill) to help prevent ambush marketing in connection with such events.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Simplified procedure for destruction of counterfeit goods

The Italian Financial Act 2007 introduces a simplified procedure for the destruction of goods suspected of violating IP rights.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Court gets tough with infringers

Intellectual property rights owners will welcome recent indications from the Irish Commercial Court, which has specialist expertise in IP matters, that it is fully prepared to get tough with infringers who fail to disclose information in relation to the source of their infringing goods.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

Well-known trade marks' protection

As part of Iran's obligations under the Paris Convention, the Iranian courts have consistently discouraged hijacking of well-known trade marks. Even where the marks are not well known, the courts have consistently held in favour of marks that emerge from one of the Paris Convention countries and have prior international (outside Iran) use of the mark.

Managing IP Correspondent, December 01 2006

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