IP Annual Review: Trade Marks, Designs & Copyright
Welcome to our Annual Review of developments relating to trade marks, copyright and designs during 2019. We have selected a number of the reports that we have published over the course of the last 12 months, commenting on issues ranging from the latest guidance on the boundaries of trade marks and designs through to a number of interesting questions on copyright protection in the light of developing technology and business models. This year’s Review mentions a couple of cases in which we acted, including in a website blocking action for Nintendo in relation to sites selling devices seeking to circumvent encryption measures, and an important case for Sky in the European Court of Justice relating to trade marks.
We also include a brief update on the Brexit position. Now that the Withdrawal Agreement has been ratified and the UK has left the EU, we are in the transition period. During this period, which will end on 31 December 2020 (unless it is extended, albeit the UK Government has said this will not happen), the status quo will be preserved. There will be no change in how IP rights will be protected and enforced during the transition period and, more specifically, EU Trade Marks and Designs will continue during the transition period to extend to the UK. As part of our Brexit preparations, we have set up Mishcon de Reya IP B.V., a trade mark practice based in The Netherlands. Mishcon de Reya IP B.V. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mishcon de Reya LLP and will allow us to ensure continued representation in relation to EU Trade Mark and Design matters before the EUIPO following the end of the transition period. We will continue to update you on Brexit developments throughout the year.
Click here to view the pdf version of our Review.
We hope you enjoy reading the Annual Review. Please get in touch if you have comments or queries on any of the topics raised.
Trade Marks
Compared to previous years, trade mark law and practice in 2019 focussed to a much lesser extent on questions of infringement and enforcement. Instead, the key cases raised questions relating to clarity and precision of trade mark specifications (and whether this can be a ground of invalidity of a registered mark), and alleged bad faith during the trade mark application process. […read more]
Copyright
In a continuing trend, 2019 saw the CJEU issue a series of decisions following referrals from Member State national courts on various issues under the Copyright Directive and related Directives. This looks set to continue in 2020 with the CJEU due to hear more copyright referrals. […read more]
Design
Alongside an important referral to the CJEU relating to ‘first disclosure’ for Unregistered Community Designs, the implications of the Supreme Court’s Trunki decision continue to be felt in the UK Courts. […read more]
Brexit
The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. The EU and UK reached a revised Withdrawal Agreement which includes a transition period ending on 31 December 2020. During the transition period, the status quo continues to apply in relation to IP rights, with EU trade marks and designs continuing to extend to the UK. […read more]
Other developments
Other interesting developments over the last year relate to competition law considerations in relation to brands and online marketplaces. […read more]