Search results for

While the recently released EPO performance statistics for 2015 show an increase in the number of grants compared to the previous year and a decrease of backlog of searches by two thirds, delay in examination of pending cases is still of concern to some. A recent appeal decision rendered in the field of computer implemented inventions reveals that excessive examination delays do not amuse the Boards of Appeal. More specifically, in decision T 823/11 rendered in December 2015, Board 3.5.07 has ruled that duration of examination proceedings of more than 12 years must be regarded as excessive and amounts to a substantial procedural violation.

At the end of February the Preparatory Committee for the Unified Patent Court announced the definitive proposal for court fees for the UPC, which is planned to start in early 2017.

On February 25 2016, the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council released a draft version of an amended Anti-Unfair Competition Law (draft AUCL) for public comment.

Despite the importance of preliminary injunctions (PI) in intellectual property disputes to ensure a quick cessation of infringement and to prevent imminent harm to the rights holder, it has been a challenge to get PIs granted in Vietnam. However, correctly identifying and addressing the current obstacles to the application of PIs could make it easier to obtain them in future cases.

When brand owners face trade mark infringement in Cambodia, they have access to a number of enforcement options to take against infringers and protect their rights. Sending a cease-and-desist letter to an infringer requesting them to stop the infringement is a standard first port of call. If the infringer refuses to comply with the letter's demands, a public notice or warning can be used to help make the public aware of the infringement. Border measures are available to suspend clearance for inspection of alleged counterfeit goods. And of course, criminal and civil actions can be pursued through the police and the courts.

Last month, Utynam was at Managing IP’s International Patent Forum in London to hear updates on patent developments from around the world

The court of appeal of The Hague recently ruled that the lifelike stuffed animal reproduction of a dog is protected by copyright. This decision once again proves that the threshold for claimants to invoke copyright is quite low.

Katrina Burchell and Célia Ullmann share their views on the struggles companies face in organising their brand protection internal structure, budgets and reporting lines

Several sections related to IP-related matters in the Argentine New Civil and Commercial Code are among the regulations that govern agreements, and among those agreements it is the franchise agreement that has the largest amount of regulations of interest in terms of intellectual property.

The case of Dynawell Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd v Dynasty Landmark Sdn Bhd; Pendaftar Cap Dagangan Malaysia [2015] 1 LNS 1195, concerned an appeal against the Registrar's decision which disallowed the registration of the plaintiff's Dynasty mark.