tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55402100415057400332024-03-19T08:37:43.287+01:00ELZABURU, Intellectual PropertyIntellectual Property Information.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-29704950558008205882017-11-27T13:07:00.001+01:002017-11-27T13:07:10.300+01:00We are moving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are moving this blog to our new platform: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/blog/en/">http://www.elzaburu.es/blog/en/</a> </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com187tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-186004575854628882017-11-23T16:04:00.000+01:002017-11-23T16:04:33.584+01:00Venezuela: Recommended to pay official fees for trademark in good time before the due date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9vQxce_sy3Z-kJQOMAEFrhLWz90txSGqzaaegJ6EFfscj3mEKZ35zmoFtfctseBSYPd7LUUCR7aWL2rTAnGOR6IsWQImJHw6BK20YMp_JofhMU3_-yUBMsIi4DDOW9sH0HNx9BHctSTb/s1600/venezuela-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9vQxce_sy3Z-kJQOMAEFrhLWz90txSGqzaaegJ6EFfscj3mEKZ35zmoFtfctseBSYPd7LUUCR7aWL2rTAnGOR6IsWQImJHw6BK20YMp_JofhMU3_-yUBMsIi4DDOW9sH0HNx9BHctSTb/s320/venezuela-2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In Venezuela, as a consequence of the
Partial <b>Reform of the Stamp Duties Act (Article 6 of Decree No. 1398) in 2015</b>,
there has been a significant increase in the <b>official fees</b> for procedures for
registered rights.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The Reform has also complicated the handling of
payment of fees for registration, renewal and recordals of changes of
ownership, changes of address and licences in the area of trademarks.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Experience has shown us that in Venezuela steps
must be taken as far in advance of the due date as possible, given that
payments of fees must be transferred to the account of the Autonomous
Intellectual Property Service (SAPI) and once the transfer has been completed,
the transfer receipt must be officially stamped. It is not uncommon to
encounter extraordinary bureaucratic obstacles, which lead to delays.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Furthermore, the U.S. Government recently
imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela, which also have an impact in the field
of trademarks. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is monitoring
transactions made in dollars to accounts in Venezuela, which can lead to
considerable delays in the completion of payments. These obstacles can have
significant consequences for trademark rights. If we consider, for example, the
renewal procedure, in relation to which there are no provisions under
Venezuelan legislation for a grace period beyond the expiry date, the payment
of the official fee (which for one trademark in a single class currently
amounts to 3.000 USD) must be duly confirmed by the SAPI prior to the expiry
date of the trademark, otherwise it will be declared abandoned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">It is therefore advisable to keep in mind that
</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">in Venezuela, with respect to those procedures requiring payment of a fee
affected by Article 6 of Decree No. 1398, it is necessary to act well in
advance of the deadline.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners/profesional?op=viewsocio&id2=CAR">Cristina
Arroyo</a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our
website: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com392tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-19940148579947396742017-11-03T15:16:00.000+01:002017-11-07T15:18:22.654+01:00Indonesia becomes the 100th Member of the Madrid Protocol<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDA8vDSd4VQIAs4Mk0hs8HkqO6gGmQDI1WG2k6vT5dH4BUBB_tp_64GXUZnrcNvQhoq60TEEbODOnXGLIxhVDk_KELHaqVwIS_Ng5AcHLviNlzWwWCC38TnW0mEAY3uqeeR-dojceIVgd/s1600/100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="350" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDA8vDSd4VQIAs4Mk0hs8HkqO6gGmQDI1WG2k6vT5dH4BUBB_tp_64GXUZnrcNvQhoq60TEEbODOnXGLIxhVDk_KELHaqVwIS_Ng5AcHLviNlzWwWCC38TnW0mEAY3uqeeR-dojceIVgd/s320/100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On 2 January 2018, the <a href="http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/news/2017/news_0020.html">Madrid Protocol will take effect in Indonesia</a>. Following Thailand’s accession to the Protocol some weeks ago, this
is a natural and expected development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Indonesia joins the <a href="http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/index.html">Madrid System</a> having submitted some of
the most common <b>declarations</b> permitted under the Madrid Protocol. The
Indonesian Trademark Office will be able to <b>extend the time limit for refusal
of the trademark</b> to 18 months, by virtue of <a href="http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/text.jsp?file_id=283468#P84_12571">Article 5.2 b)</a> of the Protocol, and
will be able to charge an <b>individual fee</b> for applications, subsequent
designations and renewals affecting Indonesia, pursuant to the provisions of
<a href="http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/text.jsp?file_id=283468#P118_22627">Article 8.7.</a> The Indonesian government has also made the declaration provided for
under Rule 20bis(6) of the <a href="http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/text.jsp?file_id=442735">Common Regulations</a>, indicating that <b>recordals of
licenses on the International Register shall have no effect in Indonesia</b>. For
recordals of licenses to have effect, it will be necessary to file the
appropriate recordal application with the Indonesian Office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>There are certain particularities in legal and
administrative practice in Indonesia regarding the prosecution of trademarks</b>.
For example, national applications must be accompanied by a <i><b>Bona Fide
Statement.</b></i> For the time being, the Madrid System does not appear to have
developed any formula for adapting this requirement laid down at national level
to the international level. Other member countries of the Madrid System have
addressed this requirement by formulating an <i>ad hoc</i> document or including an
express declaration on the international application form. It remains to be
seen how the Indonesian authorities will adapt those <b>specifications of
goods/services</b> that have been deemed acceptable by the home office or WIPO to
the <i>sui generis</i> practice in Indonesia. Such issues will arise in day-to-day
practice and it will be necessary to work closely with our network of local
agents to adapt to the new situation and guarantee the best possible strategy
for trademark owners with interests in Indonesia.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners/profesional?op=viewsocio&id2=CAR">Cristina Arroyo</a></span></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com1466tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-40904391825945885402017-10-23T16:37:00.000+02:002017-10-26T15:36:14.430+02:00Philippines – New Declaration of Actual use for maintenance of trademark rights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJdbuF8rEhvyJItdukLtOkjgZjmDdI1NX_2DZBsGpjGWqRXLLXK2_XM55jgas-gBfXMsxMglQSV7uSuXVw7a_euWKwykC-XS-JJCqJymDnkm1FZ_KZI851dv9R9lAYQrI-DdrBHa1i8Mq/s1600/philippines-31013_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1280" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJdbuF8rEhvyJItdukLtOkjgZjmDdI1NX_2DZBsGpjGWqRXLLXK2_XM55jgas-gBfXMsxMglQSV7uSuXVw7a_euWKwykC-XS-JJCqJymDnkm1FZ_KZI851dv9R9lAYQrI-DdrBHa1i8Mq/s320/philippines-31013_1280.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the
Philippines there has been an important legislative change concerning the
maintenance of trademark rights. The change involves a <b>new Declaration of
Actual Use </b>(“DAU”), as established by the Intellectual Property Office of the
Philippines (IPO) in <a href="https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/images/2017Uploads/IPOPHL-Memorandum-Circular-No.-17-010-Rules-and-Regulations-on-Trademarks-Service-Marks-Trade-Names-and-Marked-or-Stamped-Containers-of-2017.pdf">Circular No. 17-010</a> (2017 Trademark Regulation), in effect
since 1 August 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It would
seem that this change derives from the need to adapt Philippine trademark
legislation in line with the provisions of the Madrid Protocol, although there
may also be other reasons such as a desire to restrict exclusive rights from
being obtained in defensive marks or perhaps even to introduce a new official
fee. However, our task here is not to analyse the reasons for the changes but
to explain them as simply as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Up to now,
to preserve trademark rights in the Philippines it has been necessary to attest
to use by submitting a DAU and evidence of the use. Under the new Trademarks Act, it has been required to attest to use at different points in the lifetime of the mark:</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li>By the
third anniversary of the filing date of the trademark application, </li>
<li>Between the fifth
and sixth anniversary of the date of registration of the mark, and </li>
<li>Between the
fifth and sixth anniversary of the date of renewal of the mark</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Circular
No. 17-010 establishes an additional DAU to those already required under the
existing legislation, which must be filed within one year from the date of
renewal of the mark.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The
requirement to submit the DAU <b>affects Philippine national marks, international
marks designating the Philippines and subsequent designations of the
Philippines for international marks</b>. If a mark has been protected through the
international registration system, while the term is also one year, it is
calculated from the date of renewal of the international mark.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Circular
No. 17-010 is certainly complex, as it appears to indicate that the requirement
to submit the new DAU will be applied with retroactive effect to marks that
have been renewed since 1 January 2017, and at the same time it appears to
state that this requirement must be met for all marks within one year from its
renewal date.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>In
practice, for each trademark that is to be kept in force in the Philippines, a
DAU will have to be submitted within the established term of one year from the
renewal date</b> and that same formality will have to be carried out again at each
10-year cycle during the lifetime of the registration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the more
immediate term, those owners of trademarks which were due for renewal from 1
January 2017 will have to satisfy the requirement of submitting the DAU before
the end of the one year term from the date on which the registration was set to
expire. Those owners that have renewed their marks in the course of 2017 and
wish to keep them in force, will have to keep in mind that they must comply
with this requirement within the time limit.</span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This
retroactive effect will not really exist in relation to international marks
because the Philippines acceded to the Madrid Protocol on 25 July 2012.
Therefore, the first international marks designating the Philippines will not
be due for renewal until 2022. In this regard, <a href="http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/text.jsp?file_id=283484#P188_38565">Article 14.5</a> of the Madrid
Protocol establishes that with respect to international registrations made
under the Protocol prior to the accession thereto of the State in question,
subsequent designations of protection in that State are not possible, and
therefore there would not be any subsequent designations of trademarks in the
Philippines that would be affected retroactively by this new requirement. In
the case of international marks, it is a change to bear in mind in the longer
term.</span></span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners/profesional?op=viewsocio&id2=CAR">Cristina Arroyo</a></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com117tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-85652640918350282112017-09-12T13:35:00.000+02:002017-09-12T13:35:04.175+02:00Thailand joins the Madrid System<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/wipo_2806_3_840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/wipo_2806_3_840.jpg" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thailand has <a href="http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/news/2017/news_0015.html">recently</a> deposited its instrument of accession to the <a href="http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/madrid_protocol/index.html">Madrid Protocol</a> and it has become the 99th member of the Madrid System concerning the International Registration of Marks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With
the accession of Thailand, fewer and fewer Southeast Asian countries remain
outside the international trademark registration system. This new accession
will make the internationalization of trademark rights easier for rightholders
through simplified protection strategies in a highly popular jurisdiction.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over the past few years, <b>Thailand has been working on
harmonizing its local registration system</b> and preparing to join the
International System. For example, they have adapted their local classification
of goods and services "item by item" in line with a more homogeneous application of the Nice Classification. However, in
Thailand there are legal and administrative peculiarities, such as, for
example, the requirement to associate trademarks belonging to the same
proprietor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We shall see how the Department of Intellectual Property (DPI) handles the new scenario
regarding international registration of trademarks.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners/profesional?op=viewsocio&id2=CAR">Cristina Arroyo</a></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-64140586781549119672017-06-29T13:12:00.000+02:002017-07-03T13:18:41.186+02:00Reverberations of INTA<div bp.blogspot.com="" class="separator" https:="" imageanchor="1" k="" mdfbndbo7kq="" olevtysei="" s1600="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" vg1pwrucz5ylm9cveizjwvmmhypor-m1gclcbgas="" x200.jpg="">
<img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSaQahSW4e6YCu_ETlOnWYWlP_BhyDfAqNrP0KFPH7GAjRTbKuNsYjCOR3kuR6tGq3hORRcbPeKYeIMaeefDfg2Mk4WPqqOqi58BCqQI9UuGVMGC-bTHS6mHqP62cfLApwjlM98d9YXBI/s1600/ELZABURU-INTA-1-300x200.jpg" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It is extremely difficult to describe in just a few short lines the number and kind of the many different echoes of the Barcelona INTA Meeting resounding within the ELZABURU Firm, which celebrated its 150th anniversary less than two years ago. This was the first time ELZABURU has had the pleasure and the responsibility of organising a social event at INTA and thus also the first time all of us, who are part of the Firm, have endeavoured to bring together, host, and entertain so many friends, colleagues, and associates in our midst. That may be why we tried to offer them all something different, something special, something unforgettable this past 20th of May. We strust we succeeded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Most importantly, the Barcelona INTA Meeting was also the first time our country has had the chance to host one of the largest and most far-reaching events in the intellectual property sector. What more could anyone ask?. All that remains is for us to express to the INTA Board our appreciation for the confidence it has placed in Spain; to one of our country's most emblematic cities, Barcelona, for its sunshine, its <i>joie de vivre</i>, its people, and its cosmopolitan vibes; and, last but not least, to all those who have been placing their confidence in the dependability, professional excellence, and forward thinking of the ELZABURU Firm.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPk4X-HYED2LfwoCkeBPWPCM4cX0LkBvi_cwSVxUQhkZcE3T9MTV6A7BCvcx2qI_b1LEc_ETBJ4EEXM5rZMG72AF7LhGfQAjU4XvzqiJzoxBvsAW2AicCiDasCsPp9uI4G42eByApu9FH/s1600/ELZABURU-INTA-2-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPk4X-HYED2LfwoCkeBPWPCM4cX0LkBvi_cwSVxUQhkZcE3T9MTV6A7BCvcx2qI_b1LEc_ETBJ4EEXM5rZMG72AF7LhGfQAjU4XvzqiJzoxBvsAW2AicCiDasCsPp9uI4G42eByApu9FH/s1600/ELZABURU-INTA-2-300x200.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9j2hIt47kurVTlKekJ0SW82OHc">View all gallery</a></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: </span><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/partners/partner?op=viewsocio&id2=LB" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Luis Beneyto</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-51730849517815866532017-05-24T16:17:00.000+02:002017-11-03T16:23:28.400+01:00The European Union calls for a “Deluxe” decision<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Through a decision dated 22 January 2014 EUIPO’s
Second Board of Appeal confirmed the refusal of the application for the
trademark</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KB9Rf3w30kRUwi4co_ERqA7KypJGo_GoQZwNk4N0z62fnaqHSP0VcS2qqbmdpq5ZXInvVZqyPa1oshFsZbpBbDvbOWk4rmDKq_I2_e4Y1i05pMofbMebhLtL_WfSKeACy4XtWRnGM0nr/s1600/deluxe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KB9Rf3w30kRUwi4co_ERqA7KypJGo_GoQZwNk4N0z62fnaqHSP0VcS2qqbmdpq5ZXInvVZqyPa1oshFsZbpBbDvbOWk4rmDKq_I2_e4Y1i05pMofbMebhLtL_WfSKeACy4XtWRnGM0nr/s1600/deluxe.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">EU Trademark No.
011253044</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> (Refused)</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">which had been filed for a broad range of goods and
services in classes 9, 35, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 45.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The reason for the refusal is that EUIPO found that
the mark was devoid of distinctive character and that it merely informed
consumers of the quality of all the goods and services at issue, without
exception. The Office thus adopted a general reasoning in respect of all of
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This decision was annulled by the General Court (<a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=164735&pageIndex=0&doclang=ES&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=152470">case T-222/14</a> (<i>in Spanish</i>) which,
after considering whether the Office had examined in sufficient depth the
distinctive character of the sign at issue in <b>relation to all the goods and
services for which the application had been filed, held there to be a flaw in
the reasoning </b>of the Board of Appeal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The appeal to the Court of Justice (case <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=190747&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=152209">C-437/15P</a>) therefore centered
on the question of whether EUIPO should assess the capacity of a sign to
identify a given business origin <b>with
respect to each and every one of the goods or services</b>, or whether, on the
other hand, a global analysis of the goods or services will suffice if the
Office finds them to have some relevant characteristic in common. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we are all aware, EUIPO is under an obligation to
state the reasons for its decisions, in order that the <b>interested parties may
know why their trademark is being refused</b> access to the register and also that
the courts of the EU may be in a position to oversee the legality of the
decision.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When a trademark application is filed, the Office
should indeed carry out an assessment of the capacity of the sign in question
to distinguish the goods and services it covers. This will entail, in
principle,<b> an analysis of each and every one of those goods and services</b>. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, an exception to this rule arises when the goods and services are
interlinked in a sufficiently direct and specific way, to the point where they
may be grouped in homogeneous categories. In that event the Office may confine
its assessment to each of those categories. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The General Court relied on the order of 18 March 2010
(in case <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7d2dc30d6e85221c1ffb749939599d0fad0c37eb3.e34KaxiLc3qMb40Rch0SaxyLbN50?text=&docid=82409&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=75135">C-282/09P</a>) to <b>distinguish different categories</b> into which the goods
and services of the rejected mark could be grouped (cinema, advertising,
storage and transport of goods, etc.), maintaining that <b>they were very
different in their nature, characteristics and purpose</b> and that the Office
should therefore at least have analyzed each of the homogeneous categories
within the application.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">EUIPO’s position, in contrast, was that
if all the goods and services have <b>a characteristic in common</b>, which in the
present case would be that they are all of superior quality, <b>they may be
regarded as forming a single category</b> and, therefore, a general statement of
reasons will suffice. The systematic repetition of the basic ground for the
refusal, which is that the sign is devoid of distinctive character in respect
of each and every one of the goods and services, may thus be avoided.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Court of Justice annulled the judgment of the
General Court, holding that the latter should have:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Checked whether the mark applied for, which comprises
a word and a figurative element, could be perceived, <b>directly and immediately,</b>
as a claim of superior quality or a laudatory message, rather than as an
indication of the business origin of the goods and services. In the
affirmative, the refusal of the application would be fully justified without
the need for an examination of the sign in relation to all of the goods and
services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Checked whether the word element of the sign,
“deluxe”, indeed conveyed the idea of superior quality or whether it could <b>have
a different meaning</b>. In the latter event the mark could have a sufficient
degree of distinctive character in respect of some of the goods or services. In
that case an assessment of each of them would be required and different
conclusions could be reached.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Court of Justice held that the General Court had
failed to appreciate that, despite their differences, <b>all the goods and
services at issue could have a common characteristic relevant to the analysis
of the absolute prohibitions on registration</b> which could justify their being
grouped in a single homogeneous category and the consequent use of general
reasoning in relation to them all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The case has been referred back to the General
Court and we shall therefore have to wait for a final decision on the
substance. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners/profesional?op=viewsocio&id2=SBM">Soledad Bernal</a></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-39508327951308806422017-05-19T11:03:00.005+02:002017-05-19T11:08:50.775+02:00Trademarks in Spain: a step by step by guide<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDFs8jgXZajXjiaj7KYzAY5gDLdaNgCHyKm5rPdUi1tl9TnZSsAa-d0hcwI_Ja2zgI7UsgCxVuwWt8VgH6T9uYpT4liT4LsnWDsWWD9TJgKB9VUz4Wn8QApuA2iK7le7oLC-2ysW-hqQv/s1600/ELZABURU-FIL-LBB-170509-ICLG-i_001.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDFs8jgXZajXjiaj7KYzAY5gDLdaNgCHyKm5rPdUi1tl9TnZSsAa-d0hcwI_Ja2zgI7UsgCxVuwWt8VgH6T9uYpT4liT4LsnWDsWWD9TJgKB9VUz4Wn8QApuA2iK7le7oLC-2ysW-hqQv/s320/ELZABURU-FIL-LBB-170509-ICLG-i_001.png" width="225" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ELZABURU partners Luis Baz and Fernando Ilardia offer a complete and easy to follow guide about trademark registration in Spain: how to apply for your trademark, refusals, oppositions and so on</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://iclg.com/practice-areas/trade-marks/trade-marks-2017/spain" style="background-color: white; color: #a80033; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Spanish chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reproduced with permission from Global Legal Group (published in May 2017)</span></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-8466209742119459952017-05-17T16:39:00.000+02:002017-10-27T16:41:38.989+02:00Getting to grips with functional marks<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a judgment on 11 May 2017
(Case <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=190588&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=547450">C-421/15P</a>) in relation to the interpretation of the prohibition on
registration as a trademark of “<i>signs which consist exclusively of the shape
of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result</i>” laid down in Art.
7.1 e) ii) of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:31994R0040&rid=1">Regulation</a> on the European Union trade mark.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In
2002 and 2003 the Japanese company Yoshida Metal Industry secured the
registration of two figurative European Union trade marks, for certain items of
cutlery in class 8 and kitchen utensils and containers in class 21, consisting
of the two-dimensional representation of a series of black dots:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eC9t0EAD6u9IkT9JP8LYxr54LRoijjzGixHPKJBGtam9PB_pOzKsD1vduuQKW6AknlbjX_shAPleiCPpcJyhetnyUxEnlIdCDGbcn6DqexhEwAyV66iwDfDENRDqxGwnzQKxRcb_aXAi/s1600/244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="54" data-original-width="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eC9t0EAD6u9IkT9JP8LYxr54LRoijjzGixHPKJBGtam9PB_pOzKsD1vduuQKW6AknlbjX_shAPleiCPpcJyhetnyUxEnlIdCDGbcn6DqexhEwAyV66iwDfDENRDqxGwnzQKxRcb_aXAi/s1600/244.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(EUTM No. 001371244)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSYU9ldJH9Ai-wUt_BQ3Fy8sz_ToLTsogJhyphenhyphen5OtshGyrdGAW0EZOTAGLirSqf8TBopM7BzbP6rr5f-ZlS1XnhGx6cnCZG9o3FBhEaPBpHElHr0LIJzXyETYRFONVOgzvXXo4ViB5obwiS/s1600/580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="46" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSYU9ldJH9Ai-wUt_BQ3Fy8sz_ToLTsogJhyphenhyphen5OtshGyrdGAW0EZOTAGLirSqf8TBopM7BzbP6rr5f-ZlS1XnhGx6cnCZG9o3FBhEaPBpHElHr0LIJzXyETYRFONVOgzvXXo4ViB5obwiS/s1600/580.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EUTM No. 001372580</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The marks were used in practice on the handle of
the knives sold by Yoshida and represented a series of concave dots or dents on
the handle of the cutlery which performed a non-slip function when cutting (and
which were also protected by various patents):<b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXDQPNvonUWXYnQVxsW7txbYi63VT8fCrX02TgqRFkf3UGZbjzpIRLJrUKTERYkaSdqX25c0z1kv150xTq6zxxtzMJU_AKtdHtaxJneG6xirLIN819-LssJjigur6DW1-cFvxPsepXZ8t/s1600/cuchillo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXDQPNvonUWXYnQVxsW7txbYi63VT8fCrX02TgqRFkf3UGZbjzpIRLJrUKTERYkaSdqX25c0z1kv150xTq6zxxtzMJU_AKtdHtaxJneG6xirLIN819-LssJjigur6DW1-cFvxPsepXZ8t/s1600/cuchillo1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHWlBKzNRTy4n-MDXSN_AZrTn2dQzT-RIQ2Hn-879tx92Ofscwxdxo9URRF8LnuUO4ZJC3luisFKKRFf8LibIO6mvanHUXYyT3-bdnwLNAnjEq6vu8I2UFVUpFIxRIkdCcSof-lefbyki/s1600/cuchillo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHWlBKzNRTy4n-MDXSN_AZrTn2dQzT-RIQ2Hn-879tx92Ofscwxdxo9URRF8LnuUO4ZJC3luisFKKRFf8LibIO6mvanHUXYyT3-bdnwLNAnjEq6vu8I2UFVUpFIxRIkdCcSof-lefbyki/s1600/cuchillo2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In
2007, the companies Pi-Design AG, Bodum France SAS and Bodum Logistics A/S
applied at the EUIPO for the marks to be declared invalid on the basis of
Article 7.1 e) ii), given that the signs consisted exclusively of the shape of
a product which is necessary to obtain a technical result.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The
EUIPO accepted the applications for a declaration of invalidity and cancelled
the registrations of the trade marks.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The CJEU has now dismissed the appeal lodged by Yoshida, upholding the invalidity
of the trade marks.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The
judgment accepts and confirms, on the one hand, the arguments previously
asserted by the General Court in its judgment of 6 March 2014 (</span><a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=148744&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=21626" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #a80033; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">C-337/12
P y C-340/12 P</span></a><span lang="EN-GB">) (<em>see a <a href="http://blogip.elzaburu.es/2014/03/shapes-of-goods-to-obtain-technical.html">comment</a> </em></span><em><span lang="EN-GB">in this blog</span></em><span lang="EN-GB">), establishing that the prohibition on
registration laid down in Art. 7.1 e) ii) must apply both to two-dimensional
and three-dimensional trade marks and declaring that said prohibition on
registration was in the <b>public interest</b>, insofar as companies cannot use trade
mark law to extend indefinitely the protection of technical solutions. Moreover,
it states that for a correct application of the provision <b>it is necessary to
identify the essential characteristics of the trade mark,</b> carrying out a
case-by-case assessment.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Moreover,
it is important to mention the CJEU’s current interpretation of Art. 7.1 e)
ii), holding that registration as a trademark should only be refused where “<i>all
of the essential characteristics of the sign are functional</i>”, that is, the
Court considers that in the disputed trade marks, the specific configuration of
the black dots is a significant functional element, which means that they
cannot be registered as trademarks and, consequently, they must be declared
invalid. In this regard, the Court specifies that the prohibition on
registration laid down in Art. 7.1 e) ii) may be overcome and the sign may be
registered as a trademark <b>where it includes other relevant non-functional
components</b> (such as, for example, decorative or fanciful elements).</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Court has undertaken
a strict interpretation of Art. 7.1 e) ii) with regard to registration of this
type of mark consisting of the shape of a product, to thus prevent companies
achieving a monopoly on the technical solutions or functional characteristics
of the product. The judgment is also interesting in terms of the detailed definition
of all of the mandatory requirements for this type of mark to qualify for
registration as a trademark.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: </span><a href="https://es.linkedin.com/in/ana-p%C3%A9rez-prat-garnelo-226442b0" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Ana Pérez-Prat</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-14198293251979132272017-04-03T16:28:00.002+02:002017-04-03T16:28:45.524+02:00The patent act has died. Long live the Patent Act!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9c07VuEbgE9hAQuKrT0YgHKpPzS4biitNbSjGlILEzWwIXttZ7DSFdNyrJ9NbW4YD7bvrRS9lLqX7y6d1ipW4dMkUgRG1kbl0xpI1BIezB0fCaXH42VviZkWI5hbZHlqyHYrUNzh_m9fd/s1600/memory-1346375_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9c07VuEbgE9hAQuKrT0YgHKpPzS4biitNbSjGlILEzWwIXttZ7DSFdNyrJ9NbW4YD7bvrRS9lLqX7y6d1ipW4dMkUgRG1kbl0xpI1BIezB0fCaXH42VviZkWI5hbZHlqyHYrUNzh_m9fd/s320/memory-1346375_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 1986 Spanish <a href="http://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1986-7900">Patent Act</a> has died of natural causes in Madrid, aged 31. Its successor, <a href="http://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-8328">Law 24/2015</a>, saw the light of day on Saturday 1 April, after a 21-month gestation period, thanks to the publication of its <a href="http://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2017-3550">Implementing Regulation</a> in the Official State Journal right on the deadline that had been established to that end. The SPTO’s enormous effort to take the Regulation forward paid off <i>in extremis</i>, guaranteeing safe delivery. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">We are now up against a new grant procedure, a new judicial system, new challenges and strategies, as well as new unknowns. This is something that we lawyers have been well accustomed to since 1986 –precisely when the Act to which we are now bidding a nostalgic farewell came into force-, when the profound transformation of Spanish industrial and intellectual property legislation got underway. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">
In times of change, let us recall what the current Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Bob Dylan, had sung in his classic “<i>Forever Young</i>”: “<i>may you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift</i>”. Long live the new Patent Act and good luck to everyone.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><b style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">N.B</b><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">. </span><i style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">For a more detailed explanation of Law 24/2015, please check </i></span><i style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="http://blogip.elzaburu.es/2015/09/a-new-patent-act-in-two-years-time.html" style="color: #a80033; text-decoration: none;">here</a></i><i style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> our posts published in 2015 and 2016.</i></blockquote>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: </span><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/partners?task=view&id=AC" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Antonio Castán</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-65619005323486868772017-03-29T15:01:00.000+02:002017-04-24T16:55:58.886+02:00How will Brexit affect the rights of EUTM holders?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRF8lwlvyMC6dWQ9dhQjeE3L8AD4l-LLokTxHDAlowk4lyp8iUwxwsezq_dFpLyk6To2Iuwu9Br4pEJLB6w1T0o4uQvJDXZrh-CMA-IP1uXYjLOiQ3LHOOU4Ap8vA8QazZEk0P3NXlPwr/s1600/brexit-1491370_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRF8lwlvyMC6dWQ9dhQjeE3L8AD4l-LLokTxHDAlowk4lyp8iUwxwsezq_dFpLyk6To2Iuwu9Br4pEJLB6w1T0o4uQvJDXZrh-CMA-IP1uXYjLOiQ3LHOOU4Ap8vA8QazZEk0P3NXlPwr/s1600/brexit-1491370_1920.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The <b>practical</b> <b>implications of Brexit as far as the
rights of EU trademark holders are concerned </b>will likely only be felt
around 3 years following the United Kingdom’s formal notice of withdrawal from
the EU; they nevertheless compel EU trademark holders to take certain measures
to ensure that the changes that will follow in the wake of Brexit do not
adversely affect the protection of their trademarks. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">It will likely be at least 3 years before the UK actually breaks
off from the EU, based on the various phases established for a Member State’s
departure. Indeed, having made the
decision to leave the EU, the UK -under Art. 50 of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2016:202:FULL&from=EN">Treaty on EuropeanUnion</a>- has just formally notified the European Council of its withdrawal. It now has a period of two years in which to
conduct the negotiations that will enable it to establish the new legislative
framework, which will be voted on by the Member States and also, apparently, by
the British Parliament. The new
situation will therefore depend on the outcome of the negotiations between the
UK and the EU and on the mechanisms that are ultimately put in place. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">For now, therefore,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>the
familiar landscape of trademarks in the EU remains unchanged</b>: there are
still national trademarks, international registrations under the Madrid System,
of which the UK is a member, and European Union trademarks covering the 28 EU
Member States, including the UK. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The UK Intellectual Property Office has announced that it intends
to maintain ties with the EU, and so it will likely establish a process whereby
EU trademarks are converted into UK national trademarks, or the rights
conferred by EU trademarks are automatically recognised. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The EU trademark’s filing date will likely be retained as the
priority date, as in the case of the conversion of EU trademarks into national
registrations provided for in Art. 112 EUTMR where, following refusal of an
application to register an EU trademark due to opposition based on one or
several national trademarks, the applicant decides to apply for protection of
the trademark in the countries in which no obstacles have been
encountered. This conversion is carried
out by paying a conversion fee, equivalent to an application fee, and by
submitting the application to the local examination system as if it were a new
national trademark, except for the fact that it retains the filing and priority
date of the EU trademark. If the
conversion were requested for an EU trademark registration and not a mere
application, the national trademark could be granted without further ado. It all depends on the terms of the
negotiations and domestic policy decisions adopted by the UK. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">For the time being, EU trademarks are still fully effective in the
UK, and only <b>once the estimated 3-year period has elapsed will companies
have to decide whether their interest in the British market is strong enough </b>to
warrant filing a new UK trademark application, extending an international
registration to the UK or requesting the conversion of their EU trademark
registration into a UK national trademark registration.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Nevertheless, we can, at this stage, anticipate<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>cases in which companies will have
to take measures to avoid losing their trademark rights</b>, both in the UK and
on a European level, as a result of Brexit.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">For
instance, EU trademarks that were granted over 5 years ago and have only
recently been converted into UK national trademarks could be vulnerable to
revocation actions for non-use in the UK if they have not been used in that
territory. It cannot be ruled out,
however, that the 5-year grace period will start to run as of the date on which
the conversion was requested or granted.
</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Similarly, once the UK no longer forms part of the EU, the holders
of EU trademarks granted over 5 years ago and only used in the UK could find
that their trademark rights have no effect when it comes to filing opposition
against a new EU trademark application, since they will be unable to validly
demonstrate use of their trademark in the EU.
They may even lose those rights if they are targeted by a revocation
action for non-use before the EUIPO.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Consequently,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">businesses
must now start to reassess their trademark protection strategy in light of the
country in which they are putting their trademarks to genuine use.</span></b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Furthermore, in order to be in a position to block the
registration of EU trademarks, UK companies will have to register their marks
as EU trademarks, or do so in an EU Member State, since their national
registrations will not be able to serve as a basis for opposition against an EU
trademark application.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">EU companies that are not from the UK will have to weigh up
how important the UK market is for them.
In the event that those companies had a particular interest in that
market, they should move to register any EU trademarks that they hold as
national trademarks in the UK before the effect of Brexit on the existing EU
trademarks is clarified in order to avoid the possible, albeit rather unlikely,
loss of rights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, all companies should now keep their UK registrations
in force, even if their seniority has been claimed in an EU registration of the
same mark, since it is uncertain whether it will be possible to recover the
validity of those rights –once they have been abandoned on a national level-
after the UK has left the EU.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It will also be necessary for any new agreements signed in
relation to EU trademarks to include clauses expressly providing that the
agreements shall continue to apply in the territories that formed part of the
EU in the event that they subsequently ceased to be members, and clauses
stipulating that not only do those agreements apply in the territory of the EU
on the date of signature of the agreement but also in future EU Member States.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These are just some of the thoughts that we can offer now,
following activation of the mechanism provided for in Art. 50 TEU. There is still a long way to go before the
applicable legislation, the terms of the agreements reached in respect of
trademarks and the measures that companies will have to take in order to secure
the best protection for their rights in the UK come to light.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Author: </span><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=KBB" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Catherine Bonzom</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></div>
</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-40430746355859413122017-03-27T12:57:00.001+02:002017-03-27T13:04:41.198+02:00Lawyers from 28 countries analyse the legal challenges faced by start-ups<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DIJh653sFzJezwoOw9eTNGEbgePs1XtpRLbYEGUYyl5btCGKNJfdhngPwXrFuyesKQ85Qkp4wbi-G0Zx7DTyWLp6Bb8eTZX2xuuEcJAcoLS6SvtNYLTs4ykm8d8zxQVrPdgwIwG4l_SK/s1600/santamonicabanner-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DIJh653sFzJezwoOw9eTNGEbgePs1XtpRLbYEGUYyl5btCGKNJfdhngPwXrFuyesKQ85Qkp4wbi-G0Zx7DTyWLp6Bb8eTZX2xuuEcJAcoLS6SvtNYLTs4ykm8d8zxQVrPdgwIwG4l_SK/s320/santamonicabanner-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <i><a href="http://www.ibanet.org/Conferences/conf766.aspx">3rd IBA Silicon Beach Conference</a> - All Along the Spectrum – From Start-Up to IPO/Exit
and Beyond</i> was held in Santa Monica, California from 1 to 3 February 2017. We at ELZABURU’s entrepreneurship and
start-ups area (Legal & Business Department) had the chance to attend this
international gathering as the only representatives from Spain. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ibanet.org/">IBA</a> (International
Bar Association) is the largest lawyer network in the world. The conference brought together
internationally renowned lawyers and expert academics, public institution
representatives, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to analyse the legal
challenges faced by start-ups<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(1)</span>.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The conference offered interesting panel sessions and
dynamic roundtable discussions on current issues, latest trends and strategies for
developing, expanding, funding and exiting from a start-up company.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of particular interest as far as IP is concerned were
the sessions on the legal implications of the development of mobile
applications, as well as those in which participants shared experiences in the
development of a start-up company’s effective IP protection strategy. Without going into a full summary of the
sessions, we would like to highlight the following debates and ideas:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">1. Apps
of Things (AoT) </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The development and use of digital tools and services is growing at lightning speed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some time ago, we attended a vehement legal debate on
this subject, which constitutes a global strategic priority and an area of
intense legislative development.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, the
sector referring to <i>Apps of Things (AoT)
- apps</i> which turn our day-to-day objects into connected, intelligent
devices capable of catering </span></span><span style="text-align: justify;">for a wide range of user needs, deriving from, and
made possible by, the concept of the </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Internet
of Things (IoT) –</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> continues to be a trend, generating fresh challenges for lawyers
and developers alike, and in this market start-ups play a particularly
important role.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The extent of
personal data collection and exchange is continuing to grow significantly.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">People are disseminating an ever-increasing
volume of personal data on a global scale.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In fact, we have recently been coming across unprecedented cases
concerning the implications of the collection of data and personal information
by new technological devices that are, by default, “permanently active” and continuously
recording, for instance, the voices of users within the private setting of
their homes.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We refer here to the recent
privacy cases involving the intelligent device “Amazon Echo”, which includes
the new voice control system (“Alexa”), one of the most promising recent technological advances</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(2)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These incidents ensure that the debate on the meaning
and scope of the right to personal data protection, the new privacy model and
user security is kept alive.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a name='more'></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">2. Solid
practices in respect of privacy and security to guarantee a start-up’s survival
in the market<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">The measures, principles,
obligations and rights laid down in the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2016:119:FULL&from=EN">General Data Protection Regulation</a> will
officially apply and be implemented in Europe (though their significance will
transcend European borders) on 25 May 2018</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">. </span></span>The new Regulation contains important new
aspects, including the definition and regulation of consent, the requirement
whereby privacy principles must be taken into account right from the design
stage and by default, the obligation to report security breaches, etc.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">However, in this post we only intend to provide some
brief informative guidelines for start-ups.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From a practical perspective, under the new privacy
model, businesses must cultivate the value of transparency, and start-ups must
be honest with their users. Compliance
with legal obligations must go hand in hand with responsible use of
information. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the development of the application and design of
the service, all aspects of privacy and data protection must be taken into
account from the outset, and there should be a clear map of the data to be
processed and their purpose.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A common mistake is to use standard “Privacy Policies”
or “Terms of Use”, the content of which has not been adapted to the personal
data processing that is actually carried out or the subsequent use of the data. Furthermore, on some occasions the
user’s consent is obtained for specific processing, but the information is then
used for purposes that had not initially been forecast, which exposes
entrepreneurs to large-scale risks. In
the case of apps, the challenge is even greater when minors interact and this
had not been foreseen by the developers. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ensuring
user security and eliminating users’ concerns is another key task (once again
going beyond formal compliance with the legal obligations). Since an increasing number of intelligent
mobile devices are interconnected, there is a heightened risk that data and
confidential information will be accessed by hackers. Thus, we will gradually see how passwords
evolve towards other systems of personality detection or biometric
authentication, for example.<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-indent: 0.6pt;"><br /></span></div>
</span></span></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 21.3pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -21.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">3. Intelligent IP management for tech start-ups </span></b></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At an early stage, the intangible assets protection strategy
should take in the fact that the resources that can be allocated by a start-up
are limited, but it should also bear in mind that those assets constitute the
core of its business, and are what contribute value and a competitive edge in
the market.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It seems obvious, but the first step in managing
intellectual property rights should always be to ensure that the start-up is
the proprietor of the technology that it is developing, or that it has the
necessary authorisation to exploit it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To that end, it must design and keep a suitable contractual
framework (contracts with employees or collaborators, licensing agreements,
NDAs, implementation of in-house measures or policies, appropriate
notifications in respect of copyright or confidentiality, etc.), ensure that
there are no potential risks, restrictions or limitations affecting the
exploitation of the rights (its own and third parties’) and that the scope of
the rights is sufficient in order to enable the current and future development,
growth and evolution of the business (new technologies, improvements, changes
of format, adaptations, etc.). The
contracts should be reviewed and amended where necessary in order to guarantee
business flexibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Also, keeping opportunity and the potential financial value
of the start-up’s intangible assets in mind at all times, it is advisable to
assess whether the strategy for identifying and protecting the intangible
assets that are generated and are contributing to the business (trademarks,
copyright –traditional and software-, patents, industrial designs, trade
secrets) should be expanded. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The legal problems associated with the creation and
distribution of applications and other content capable of protection are not
always so “obvious” or easily solved by a recently created company without the
assistance of legal counsel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is an excellent
time to start up a company in Spain. The
ecosystem that supports the entrepreneur sector is increasingly extensive
(accelerators, incubators, nurseries, science and technology parks, university
spin-offs, business foundations, etc.), and private investment continues to
beat records. Nevertheless, going back
to the beginning of the life cycle of a start-up, let us recall that the main
goal is to have a good business model and that the initial source of funding
must always focus on revenue.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>ELZABURU’s entrepreneurship and start-ups area forms
part of the Firm’s Legal & Business Department. We advise innovative tech start-ups and other
operators in the entrepreneurial ecosystem from sectors that are set to
flourish in the coming years, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology,
biomedicine, the Internet of things, health sectors (e-health) and ICT. </i></span></span></span></blockquote>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For a Spanish version of this article, please visit <a href="http://tecnologia.elderecho.com/tecnologia/marketing_de_despachos/Abogados-analizan-retos-legales-startups_11_1062055002.html">El Derecho website</a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=CGR">Carolina García de la Rasilla</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Visit our website: http://www.elzaburu.es/en </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">1. </span></span></span></span>IBA is the world’s leading lawyer network and has a number
of international Sectoral and Regional Committees. This conference was organised by the
following Sectoral Committees: Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law
Committee, Corporate and M&A Law Committee and Technology Law Committee;
and by the following Regional Committees: North American Regional Forum and
Asia Pacific Regional Forum.
Collaborating partners included associations such as ITechLaw (International
Technology Law Association) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association
(IPO), and the event was sponsored by the law firms Knobbe Martens (USA), Hoet
Pelaez Castillo y Duque (Venezuela) and Solcargo (Mexico), in addition to a
number of accelerator companies (Octane and Plug and Play)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">2. </span></span></span></span>The first case refers to the 6-year-old child
who asked “Alexa” and received a dollhouse and cookies. When this news story was broadcast on
television, numerous such devices were activated in viewers’ homes, which led
to the mass delivery of dollhouses. Note,
however, that the device contains the option of adding parental controls or
entering codes to confirm and/or authorise purchases. The second case refers to an alleged murder
in respect of which “Alexa” could potentially provide evidence.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;">
</span></span>
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<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13pt;">
</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-19504852984093626932017-03-24T10:12:00.001+01:002017-03-24T10:12:31.646+01:00Licensing in Spain: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QWc7aK2d2YD4kmBTXnoefcuw1LqN7IZzPyLoLJXIQiDAf1FkE0KjVymku_oJaV0uf64ibmkJ2Z8qzx1QWS8XyCfH6baovUJ9KvbTbnO0jxrGRCPk-dgnTsTozEx0iInYJDUNNsT72vyj/s1600/ELZABURU-JFL-AML-MBC-170201-Licensing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QWc7aK2d2YD4kmBTXnoefcuw1LqN7IZzPyLoLJXIQiDAf1FkE0KjVymku_oJaV0uf64ibmkJ2Z8qzx1QWS8XyCfH6baovUJ9KvbTbnO0jxrGRCPk-dgnTsTozEx0iInYJDUNNsT72vyj/s320/ELZABURU-JFL-AML-MBC-170201-Licensing.png" width="225" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ELZABURU Partner Javier Fernández-Lasquetty together with lawyers Alba López and Martín Bello </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">answer the key questions of concern to corporations and their counsel when dealing with licensing laws in Spain. Areas covered include: kinds of licences, law affecting international licensing, intellectual property issues, software licensing, royalties and other payments, currency conversion and taxes, competition law issues, indemnification, disclaimers of liability, damages and limitation of damages, termination of licensing agreements, bankruptcy, governing law and dispute resolution.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://gettingthedealthrough.com/area/19/jurisdiction/21/licensing-spain/">Spanish chapter</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reproduced with permission from Law Business Research
Ltd. Getting the Deal Through: Licensing 2017, (published in February 2017;
contributing editor: Bruno Floriani, Lapointe Rosenstein Marchand Melançon LLP)
For further information please visit <a href="https://gettingthedealthrough.com/area/19/licensing/"><i>https://gettingthedealthrough.com/area/19/licensing/</i></a></span></span></blockquote>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-32551119035508313672016-12-30T14:54:00.000+01:002017-01-11T14:55:40.613+01:00Mercantile courts make a move<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI1V0HVjb-Hln8unFp3Ldt-lKjzs2uBME4ETbUPqFnW96rRFe9ZOvbzsOl8OleCXjzVZW5_oaOuDvJyt3k_1cqd9hfQejkLxrN1CXenXli9Pdlv4NxlPryp2NtIAamPmyZ3N_y4XapG1G/s1600/BOE-A-2016-12566+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI1V0HVjb-Hln8unFp3Ldt-lKjzs2uBME4ETbUPqFnW96rRFe9ZOvbzsOl8OleCXjzVZW5_oaOuDvJyt3k_1cqd9hfQejkLxrN1CXenXli9Pdlv4NxlPryp2NtIAamPmyZ3N_y4XapG1G/s1600/BOE-A-2016-12566+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The <a href="http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2016/12/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2016-12566.pdf">Official State Gazette</a> for the
penultimate day of the year came out with a surprise in the form of the
publication of a decision whereby the National Judicial Council has designated
specialized courts to hear IP related lawsuits in the following autonomous
communities:</span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 3.2pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 3.5pt 0cm 3.5pt;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 18.75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="border: 1pt solid; height: 18.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 135pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0.3pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Community<br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1pt solid; height: 18.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 263.25pt;" valign="top" width="351"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Designated courts</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 73.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="border: 1pt solid; height: 73.5pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 135pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Catalonia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; height: 73.5pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 263.25pt;" valign="top" width="351"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Barcelona Mercantile Courts Nos. 1, 4 and 5:
patents and industrial designs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
Barcelona Mercantile Courts Nos. 2, 6, 8 and 9: trademarks</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 30.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="border: 1pt solid; height: 30.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 135pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Madrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; height: 30.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 263.25pt;" valign="top" width="351"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Madrid Mercantile Courts Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 63.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="border: 1pt solid; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 135pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Valencia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; height: 63.75pt; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 263.25pt;" valign="top" width="351"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Valencia Mercantile Court No. 2:
patents<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Valencia Mercantile Courts Nos. 1 and 3: trademarks and industrial
designs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The decision has been prompted by the risk (relative though it may be),
perceived upon the promulgation of the new Law 24/2015 on Patents, that
lawsuits in the IP field could migrate to Barcelona. It will take effect from
April 2017, which is when that new law comes into force. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It remains to be seen whether, since the geographical scope of the
specialization remains limited, legal actions are going to be concentrated
in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia
(together with Alicante) to the exclusion of other autonomous communities.
However, that is another story. For the moment, the decision of the National Judicial Council may be received with relief and
applause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/partners?task=view&id=AC">Antonio Castán</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Visit our website: http://www.elzaburu.es/en </span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com171tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-46873859055150893372016-11-23T16:12:00.000+01:002016-11-23T16:12:22.962+01:00The graphic representation of the Rubik’s Cube will no longer be a trademark in the European Union<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_pO5pcTIEQL35rTHe9QJfP8LJ7vY55PcY-nSXp8-1bF4aRSUloC8PcASXF9kWT9LYlwnX7fVBmEYhFgUUCK6jhoztGZbVxyDXnbbynhCl2Pq1uAgNW2-Isc9vmccXkK-EP6ASIKtMeOk/s1600/puzzle-1243091_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_pO5pcTIEQL35rTHe9QJfP8LJ7vY55PcY-nSXp8-1bF4aRSUloC8PcASXF9kWT9LYlwnX7fVBmEYhFgUUCK6jhoztGZbVxyDXnbbynhCl2Pq1uAgNW2-Isc9vmccXkK-EP6ASIKtMeOk/s320/puzzle-1243091_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All of us will be familiar with the famous puzzle
invented in 1974 by Erno Rubik. The cube has a core mechanism with intersecting
axes allowing each of the six faces to rotate independently, thus giving shape
to a six-colour puzzle.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Given the worldwide success it rapidly achieved, the
puzzle inevitably inspired the appearance in the marketplace in the course of
the years of a multitude of other models made of various materials and in a
range of shapes and colours.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">In
these circumstances appropriate protection naturally had to be sought for the
Rubik’s Cube and was obtained through intellectual property rights such as
those afforded by EU trademark No. 162784.</span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzYmhJ4Yo3kOV7DMenOErNpivVBGId39EFzzU9QuM4CnqiJRzJ7EDVY2CUaK2wZkhbVksSAEKx5QZC6NypDy9H26ubA0LzUZEPuA6ryJ0IBcKXI2oexGYo2cDeXZ4nRwNDyF2KWr-9Hko/s1600/rubik.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzYmhJ4Yo3kOV7DMenOErNpivVBGId39EFzzU9QuM4CnqiJRzJ7EDVY2CUaK2wZkhbVksSAEKx5QZC6NypDy9H26ubA0LzUZEPuA6ryJ0IBcKXI2oexGYo2cDeXZ4nRwNDyF2KWr-9Hko/s320/rubik.png" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>EU trademark No. 162784, the mark in dispute</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A conflict arose in connection with that trademark in
2006, when a famous German toy manufacturer filed an application for a
declaration of invalidity on the ground, essentially, that the mark embodied a
technical function consisting of the rotatable nature of the product and that
third parties were thus prevented from selling similar puzzles which
necessarily incorporated that mechanism and took a shape essential for the
proper functioning thereof.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Up to now the EUIPO and the General Court had
maintained that the representation of the Rubik’s Cube with its grid structure
had sufficient distinctive character to perform the function of a trademark and
that the internal mechanism could not, in any event, be perceived therein.
However, in a judgment published on 10 November 2016 (<a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=185244&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1920913">C-30/15 P</a>) the Court of Justice has overturned those previous rulings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In that judgment, which is in line with the
<a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=178681&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1920913">conclusions</a> previously drawn by the Advocate General, the Court holds <i>that
<b>the essential characteristics of a shape must be assessed in the light of the
technical function of the actual goods at issue</b></i> (a three-dimensional
puzzle), also taking into account the elements which are not visible in the
graphic representation of that shape and the rotatability of the individual
elements of a three-dimensional puzzle of the Rubik’s Cube type. Thus, for want
of arbitrary or decorative elements, <b>the shape of the Rubik’s Cube does not
qualify for registration as a trademark, as such a registration severely limits
the freedom of other traders to market products characterized by the same or a
similar technical result</b>, i.e., that of a three-dimensional puzzle to be
resolved through positioning moveable elements in a logical order.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now the EUIPO will have to deliver a fresh decision
taking into account the findings of the Court of Justice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><b style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">N.B</b><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">. </span><i style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">A Spanish version of this article was published in the economic newspaper<a href="http://www.expansion.com/juridico/opinion/2016/11/10/5824ac83468aeb6d3a8b45bb.html" style="color: #a80033; text-decoration: none;"> Expansión</a></i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Author: </span><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=SBM" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Soledad Bernal Montes</a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-62875281382738487082016-10-21T13:28:00.000+02:002016-10-28T13:47:12.674+02:00Brexit: Prospects for data protection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSER63J5h8O8gfki5pb9eAQaQLIA4VkFKSfUuZqLidxOo-jSIdYM5osmTWTKn5CUSqBJde9t-iyeI4btUrRWVFG39c8wji_cae9IiWXv7uSfIxQnrYx3Qx577BlsPtpeOf2v1QKO8cpIt/s1600/DATOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSER63J5h8O8gfki5pb9eAQaQLIA4VkFKSfUuZqLidxOo-jSIdYM5osmTWTKn5CUSqBJde9t-iyeI4btUrRWVFG39c8wji_cae9IiWXv7uSfIxQnrYx3Qx577BlsPtpeOf2v1QKO8cpIt/s320/DATOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The decision made by the British people in the 23 June
2016 referendum has multiple consequences, many of them legal. Some have already been addressed, but the
issue of what Brexit could mean for European citizens’ privacy and data protection
rights has been pushed to the background. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The regulatory framework for data protection in the
European Union conferred total freedom of circulation on data within the 28
Member States. The United Kingdom’s exit
from the EU, and consequently from that legislative environment, will therefore
mean that its citizens will be considered as established in a third country, and
issues such as those currently existing with the United States will have to be
contended with. Basically, sending data
from any EU country to the UK will constitute an international data transfer, with
the legal effects that this entails.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Obviously, given the importance of massive data
processing for a company from any sector, the UK is not going to remain aloof
from its former fellow Member States, since not interacting with the EU in this
field would leave it out of the game in a sphere that is vitally important for
the economy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This situation obviously gives rise to uncertainty -which
will have to be cleared up by the British government in the coming months-
concerning the decision to be made on the subject of data protection in the
island State. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is first of all necessary to understand the UK’s
legislative situation regarding this subject. The law currently applicable to national data
protection is the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/contents">UK Data Protection Act</a> of 1998, a product of the
transposition of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:31995L0046&from=EN">1995 EU Data Protection Directive</a> establishing the
fundamental concepts and principles underlying European data protection laws
throughout Europe. The <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/7/contents">UK Electronic Communications Act </a>is also significant and regulates electronic
signature-related issues stemming from the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:31999L0093&from=EN">1999 Directive </a>and electronic
communications and transactions, and is supported by the texts transposing the
2000 E-Commerce Directive. The current
regulatory framework is therefore not so far removed from the one existing in
the other 27 countries thanks to the transposition of several directives. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At first glance, the foreseeable reaction is that the
UK will be considered as a country with a secure data protection level, and
maintaining the status quo should not be overly problematic, given that UK laws
have been adapted to European legislation and are very close to those of the
other 27 States. This obviously depends
on a number of factors. First of all,
the British government is changing, and we do not know what the intentions of
the next inhabitants of 10 Downing Street will be. It is therefore feasible to believe that
there could be a change in legislative policy concerning data protection, and
the ties that bind the country to the EU will therefore be broken in a more
drastic way. Another variable to be
considered is that declaring the UK as a country with an adequate level of
protection is contingent upon the European Commission’s approval, which has to
be carried out by means of a regulated procedure, where it is necessary to
study numerous issues such as the functioning of a supervisory authority,
case-law on the subject and the country’s international commitments, as well as
the fact that the agreement has to be revised every four years. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Supposing that the second option, which is more
realistic and conservative, is the one that is effectively followed, the
situation would not be exempt from problems. The need for the aforementioned declaration by
the Commission could mean that in the period of time between the actual
departure from the EU and approval of the agreement, the UK will be considered
a third country and any transfers made to it will be viewed as international
data transfers. An indefinite time
period would open up, in which companies from both sides would have to regulate
their operations to comply with transitional legislation with an undetermined
expiry date. In short, too many changes
and requirements for a relatively short space of time. Added to that is the fact that the British
State’s laws and practices on the subject of data protection will be monitored
closely by EU regulators and subjected to detailed scrutiny. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It should be borne in mind that there are two sides to
this dispute, and so the European Union’s reaction has to be assessed. Since it
will be for the Commission to evaluate an agreement declaring the UK a kind of
“safe harbour” in the event that the exit actually comes about, the European
institution may place some tremendously demanding standards on its ex-member. Europe therefore has the power to subject
British law to a comprehensive analysis that will reduce its negotiating
leverage and force it to submit to iron-fisted control from Brussels so as not
to end up in legislative limbo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This declaration as a country with an adequate
protection level will only be necessary if the UK, on abandoning the EU,
decides not to be part of the European Economic Area. This is the option followed by the non-EEA
member Switzerland. Since 2000, there
has been an agreement with the Helvetian country, guaranteeing an adequate
level of protection for the treatment of personal data in that State, as in the
case of other territories such as the Isle of Man, Uruguay and New Zealand. In the event that the British opt to adhere
to the EEA, European data protection laws will apply to them, and so sending
data to the British Isles will not constitute an international data transfer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seeing that the option that is, let us say, peaceful,
conservative, or close to the EU, is actually much more problematic than it
initially appears, it cannot be ruled out that the incoming administration
could make a much more drastic move and reform existing data protection laws to
distance them from European legislation, over which there had been disagreement
during the approval process, thus adopting a position that is more in keeping
with the less protectionist principles of the Anglo-Saxon world. Since
it seems counterproductive for them to isolate themselves in such a way, this
option would appear to be less likely, although it can always be argued that if
the EU has reached an agreement with the United States, it could also reach one
with Great Britain in such a case. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In that regard, Christopher Graham from the
Information Commissioner’s Office stated that “international consistency around
data protection laws and rights is crucial both to businesses and organisations
and to consumers and citizens”, and that “we will be speaking to government to
present our view that reform of the UK law remains necessary”. It would therefore seem that the country’s
relevant institutions in respect of this issue advocate maintaining the unity
of EU and UK laws. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Regardless of which option is followed, the
consequences are complex to say the least.
The exit is based on Article 50 of the EU Treaty, according to which the
withdrawing State and the Union will have to negotiate a withdrawal agreement,
setting a date on which the treaties will cease to apply to the former. Where no such date has been established, the
treaties will cease to apply two years after the European Council has been
notified of the State’s intention to withdraw, a time period which can be
extended. This term is vitally
important, given that the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&from=EN">EU General Data Protection Regulation</a> (GDPR) will be
coming into effect on 25 May 2018, and so it will more than likely apply to the
UK for a certain period of time since a withdrawal agreement has yet to be
reached. Things will therefore get messy:
during the negotiation of the exit deal and the time period provided for same,
the 1998 law stemming from an EU directive will continue to apply until May
2018, when the withdrawal will almost certainly not yet be effective, and so
the GDPR will start to operate until the date on which the treaties will cease
to apply is fixed. Also, once the
Regulation comes into force, all companies and organisations, regardless of
where they are based, will be required to comply with its provisions if they
process EU citizens’ data. Therefore,
when the time comes for the Regulation to cease to apply, a large number of
British corporations will have to abide by its provisions in respect of a significant
part of their activities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We can confidently predict that British law will
continue in line with European law for a considerable period of time, and so
the aforementioned split will be a medium-term decision. The application of the Regulation in the UK
will be a reality, and so for a while there will be calm as regards data
protection on the continent. In fact,
the UK, just like the other EU Member States, will have to transpose the
recently approved (May) Council Directive concerning measures to ensure a high
common level of network and information security across the Union into its
domestic law; in other words, its legislation will keep pace with the rest of
the Union for the time being. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ocean of
uncertainty caused by the referendum has left all players in a state of
bewilderment and with no choice but to wait and see how events unfold before
anything definite can be affirmed. In
the meantime, there can only be forecasts and conjecture. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="https://es.linkedin.com/in/mart%C3%ADn-bello-63a7aaa5">Martín Bello Castro</a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-77776782441815038582016-10-07T16:43:00.002+02:002016-10-07T16:44:51.460+02:00Increase in number of counterfeit goods seized by customs authorities in the EU in 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtQUSlJAwVXkbg7RBbjO8Z6FNSArRV3_XvthsgBYexQ9k9Sky3VV0UqmqJkcKPIZnoB3-5Y8p55zWz9U-59VP_5AbpY8IYXgiXPAKUSI6cpPHt22B4zNIJGUE1Wp0RDUmEa8As5AyjDwM/s1600/Report-EU.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtQUSlJAwVXkbg7RBbjO8Z6FNSArRV3_XvthsgBYexQ9k9Sky3VV0UqmqJkcKPIZnoB3-5Y8p55zWz9U-59VP_5AbpY8IYXgiXPAKUSI6cpPHt22B4zNIJGUE1Wp0RDUmEa8As5AyjDwM/s320/Report-EU.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On 23 September, the European Commission published its <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/2016_ipr_statistics.pdf">report</a> on the
results of the border measures against infringement of industrial and
intellectual property rights in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;">According to the report, in 2015 a total of 40,728,675 products
suspected of infringing IP rights were seized at customs in the EU,
representing a 14% increase with respect to the 35,568,982 products seized in
2014. The value of the goods seized in the EU in 2015 was more than 642 million
euros. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;">In the case of Spain, the increase in the number of goods seized in 2015
was even greater: the number increased by 17% with respect to 2014 (1,893,019
products seized in 2015, compared with 1,619,264 products seized in 2014).
Spain is still in the top 10 of EU countries with the largest number of items
seized, specifically in 9th position.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;">The level of effectiveness of the border measures provided for under
(EU) Regulation No. 608/2013 is very high: the goods detained were destroyed in
80% of cases, legal proceedings were undertaken in 9% of cases and the goods
were only found to be genuine in 2.7% of cases.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;">China continues to be the main country of provenance of goods seized by
customs in the EU (40%). By category, the main countries of provenance for the
goods were the following: Benin (foodstuffs), Mexico (alcoholic beverages),
Morocco (other beverages), Malaysia (body care products), Turkey (clothing),
Hong Kong (mobile telephones and accessories, memory cards, computer equipment,
CDs/DVDs and lighters), Montenegro (cigarettes) and India (medicines)</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Products for daily use that could pose a danger to the health and safety
of consumers (such as foods, beverages, toiletries, medicines, electrical
appliances, toys, etc.) make up 25.8% of the total seizures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The most used modes of transport, per number of seizures, are still
postal and courier deliveries (77% of seizures), commonly in response to
purchases made online.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;">The principal categories of goods seized in 2015 were cigarettes (27% of
seizures), other goods, such as batteries, glue, furniture and lamps, manuals
and other documents, magnets, pesticides, etc. (10%), toys (9%), labels, tags
and stickers (8%) and foodstuffs (7%). </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">It is striking that labels, tags and stickers have risen to the top 5 on
the list of goods seized in 2015, which would appear to confirm the latest
technique used by criminal counterfeiting organizations of importing unbranded
articles, separately importing branded labels and stickers and subsequently
affixing the brands to the articles once in the EU. This technique was
highlighted by Europol and the EUIPO in their </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">2015 Situation <a href="https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/documents/11370/80606/2015+Situation+Report+on+Counterfeiting+in+the+EU">Report on Counterfeiting in the European Union</a></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"> of April 2015.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&&id=JJC">Juan José Caselles</a></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-78587490345954858732016-09-30T11:19:00.001+02:002016-09-30T11:19:16.422+02:00Infringement of an EU trademark... but not in the whole of the EU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbEwbUKyGzPXe1vnbxAoJrHUz-uNWr3ymVMHFaOiN4pcQ-evjD1L0YCvF6M7CYgH0pGomTbKcjEWFT6NjyiNEuKx0p_lV_oX9GNO31nuCZQRy8drlyAo8cbye9QLFDNzGAg_wH89YeRg8/s1600/brexit-1497067_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbEwbUKyGzPXe1vnbxAoJrHUz-uNWr3ymVMHFaOiN4pcQ-evjD1L0YCvF6M7CYgH0pGomTbKcjEWFT6NjyiNEuKx0p_lV_oX9GNO31nuCZQRy8drlyAo8cbye9QLFDNzGAg_wH89YeRg8/s320/brexit-1497067_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Court of Justice of the European
Union has recently delivered its judgment in case C-223/15, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">combit Software</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> (judgment of 22 September 2016, <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?doclang=EN&text=&pageIndex=0&part=1&mode=LST&docid=183701&occ=first&cid=1025502">ECLI:EU:C:2016:719</a>)
concerning the interpretation of the <b>unitary character of the European Union
trademark in relation to the scope of infringement actions</b> against confusingly
similar signs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the case that prompted the
Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf to make a reference for a preliminary ruling, that
court considered that a company’s use of the word sign “Commit” for computer
programs gave rise, on the part of the average German-speaking consumer, to a
likelihood of confusion with the EU trademark “combit”. However, in the German court’s view, there was
no such likelihood of confusion on the part of the average English-speaking
consumer, who could easily understand the conceptual difference between the
English verb “<i>to commit”</i> and the term
“<i>combit</i>”, comprised of the letters “<i>com</i>” for computer and “<i>bit</i>” for binary digit. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In those circumstances, the Oberlandesgericht
Düsseldorf asked the CJEU for guidance as to which of those two consumer groups
should be taken into account in order to assess the likelihood of confusion,
and <b>whether the EU trademark should be considered as infringed throughout the
whole of the EU or whether the Member States should be differentiated
individually.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In response to the referring court’s
question, the CJEU indicated that where there is a likelihood of confusion in
one part of the European Union, it must be concluded that <b>the EU trademark has
been infringed, even if that likelihood of confusion does not exist in other
parts of the EU</b>. This solution is in
keeping with the approach followed for oppositions to EU trademark
applications, where the existence of a likelihood of confusion with an earlier
trademark in one part of the European Union will suffice in order for the
application to be refused. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Court of Justice nevertheless
goes one step beyond the question referred by the German court and analyses the
consequences of the declaration of infringement. Here, the CJEU is supported by the case-law
established in its earlier judgment of 12 April 2011, <i>DHL Express France</i> (C-235/09, <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=81436&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1026014">ECLI:EU:C:2011:238</a>). In that judgment, the Court of Justice had
ruled that a prohibition on proceeding with acts which infringe or would
infringe an EU trademark must, as a rule, extend to the entire area of the EU. However, it established the exception (paragraph
48 of the judgment) that where the defendant proves that the use of the sign at
issue does not affect, particularly on linguistic grounds, the functions of the
trademark in part of the EU, the EU trademark court must limit the territorial
scope of the prohibition that it issues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Based on that reasoning,
the Court of Justice has now concluded that in a situation such as the one
raised by the Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf, <b>the EU trademark court must issue
an order prohibiting use of the infringing sign for the entire area of the
European Union with the exception of the part in respect of which there has
been found to be no likelihood of confusion</b>. In the CJEU’s opinion, this solution, which initially seems to
contradict the principle of the unitary character of the EU trademark, is
imposed by the need for exclusive rights to be exercised only in cases where
the use of a similar sign by a third party adversely affects the functions of
the trademark.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=CMM">Carlos Morán</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: http://www.elzaburu.es/en</span></span><br />
<div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-31347377655952062452016-08-08T10:18:00.000+02:002016-08-11T10:53:19.516+02:00FRAUD ALERT<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Please be informed that certain letters have been detected in which the addressees are informed that they have won a (fake) lottery prize and that a law firm is responsible for the process of verifying the payment of the lottery prize. To claim the prize, addressees are asked to send to a stated fax number their bank details, a copy of their passport and their telephone number.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please note that these letters use the names and addresses of professional law firms, with false stamps and letterheads. In the event of any such letter purportedly being sent from ELZABURU SLP, we wish to state that our firm has no connection whatsoever with the parties sending the letters and does not undertake any kind of verification work in relation to the fake lottery prizes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Any parties receiving such letters should therefore refrain from providing any of the requested information and should notify their country’s relevant authorities of the attempted fraud.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Should you have any further questions, you may contact us as follows:</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
</span></span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
</span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
E-mail: <a href="mailto:antipirateria@elzaburu.es" style="color: black;">antipirateria@elzaburu.es</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Tel.: +34 91 7009400</div>
</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fax: +34 91 3193810</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: Elzaburu SLP</span></div>
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-56582462511576732412016-08-03T14:33:00.000+02:002016-08-25T14:38:06.093+02:00Confirmed! The holders of licenses in Community designs may also bring claims themselves even though the license has not been entered in the register<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4YdB70ZoBvQCcTK5tXQpgRTJLHbMo3HZYe2RKvbaF6m9mr6lKZm89OOMaPPMdMckKG65IOYMn598SvZWuhT-lR-q2ItmaGXHrPA1JDwHhgCapLCaBRGXxsNl4mb2OGkpkEIlnUwTYlrf/s1600/imagen-TJUE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4YdB70ZoBvQCcTK5tXQpgRTJLHbMo3HZYe2RKvbaF6m9mr6lKZm89OOMaPPMdMckKG65IOYMn598SvZWuhT-lR-q2ItmaGXHrPA1JDwHhgCapLCaBRGXxsNl4mb2OGkpkEIlnUwTYlrf/s1600/imagen-TJUE.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only some months after having given a ruling (<a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=174104&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=389467">case C-163/15</a>) to the effect
that the holders of licenses in Community trademarks (or, rather, “European
Union trademarks”, as they now are) were
entitled to bring actions for infringement against third parties even though
their licenses had not been entered in the register, the Court of Justice of
the European Union was asked to give a preliminary ruling on whether the
<b>holders of licenses in Community designs</b> (as they are still called) in turn had
that right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The CJEU has given its </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">judgment</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> in case </span><a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=180688&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=401230" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">C-419/15</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> which
stemmed from a request for a preliminary ruling made by the Oberlandesgericht
Düsseldorf (the German court of appeal) in connection with a dispute between
two German companies. The first of the two, the plaintiff, was the holder of an
exclusive unrecorded license in a Community design. The defendant was the
distributor of a product which allegedly infringed that design.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In these circumstances the German court referred the
following questions to the CJEU:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">May a </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">licensee who has not been entered in the register</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
bring claims for infringement of the rights in a registered Community design?</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the affirmative, may the </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">exclusive licensee</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> also bring
an action claiming damages on its own, or may it only intervene in an action
brought by the rightholder itself?</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With regard to the first of these questions, a literal
interpretation of the first sentence of article 33.2 of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32002R0006&rid=1">Regulation 6/2002</a> could
easily lead one to think that an unrecorded licensee cannot enforce the rights
in the design against a third party, as it is stated there that the legal acts
referred to in Articles 28, 29 and 32 (transfers, the creation of rights <i>in rem</i> and the grant of licenses)
“<i>shall only have effect vis-à-vis third parties in all the Member States after
entry in the register</i>”. However, the court reminds us that at the time of
interpreting a provision of EU law it is necessary to consider not only its
wording but also the context in which it occurs and the goals it pursues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The court notes that in both the second and the third
paragraphs of article 33 reference is specifically made to “<i>third parties who
have acquired rights</i>” and thus infers, in
the contextual framework, that the rule is actually intended to regulate
the effects which entry in the register has vis-à-vis third parties who may
have acquired rights subsequently and does not apply to other cases where the
third party is simply an infringer.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thus, the answer to the first question is that <b>the licensee
may indeed bring actions for infringement of the rights in a licensed
registered Community design even though the license has not been entered in the
register</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Turning to the second of the two questions, the doubt as to
whether an unrecorded licensee, although able to bring infringement actions on
its own account, may also claim damages arises out of the wording of article
32.4. There it is stated that, for the purpose of obtaining compensation for
the damage suffered, the licensee is entitled to intervene in an infringement
action brought by the owner of the Community design. However, nothing is said
with regard to the question of whether the licensee has a right to claim
damages if it brings that action itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once again the court looks at the context and observes that,
since there are circumstances in which an exclusive licensee is permitted under
the Regulation to bring an infringement action on its own account (when it has
the consent of the design holder or when the latter has failed to take action
itself within an appropriate period, despite having been asked to do so), it
would make no sense if the licensee could nonetheless only claim damages by
intervening in an action brought by the rightholder. The court adds that such a
restrictive interpretation would be contrary to the goal of the provision,
which is to provide the licensee with the means to take action against the
infringement and thus defend its rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The conclusion reached by the court is, therefore, that <b>the
licensee, once entitled to bring the infringement action, may likewise claim
damages on its own account.</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thus, as in the previous case concerning EU trademark
licenses, the CJEU has once again taken the view that licensees have standing
to sue even though their licenses have not been entered in the register. This
ruling is, furthermore, in line with the interpretation provided at the time by
the Alicante Mercantile Court which, in its judgment of 26 December 2011 (<a href="http://www.poderjudicial.es/search/doAction?action=contentpdf&databasematch=AN&reference=6377814&links=&optimize=20120521&publicinterface=true">ECLI:ES:JMA:2011:152</a>)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, held that article 33 of the Regulation was only intended to
regulate the legal position of the licensee with respect to third parties who
may in turn acquire rights from the licensor and owner of the trademark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=JRF">Joaquín Rovira</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Visit our website: http://www.elzaburu.es/en</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-36632057350986852772016-07-29T11:42:00.000+02:002016-08-18T11:45:36.398+02:00Recent creation of EUROPOL's Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition (IPC3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUKIlz6FTdl73RfbBek2Uk4-ntxcw1enF2y-IRxWrL9GzrGIJshBPcyRgZuJB7ERrdDoNMQ1-7ijWroUyUVHWSTUgbuQH8ANCLMQ_MgJFVshZiAGu66Kc-sluGcVbdReg3OL91oZ7bLHA/s1600/EUIPO_LOGO_EN.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUKIlz6FTdl73RfbBek2Uk4-ntxcw1enF2y-IRxWrL9GzrGIJshBPcyRgZuJB7ERrdDoNMQ1-7ijWroUyUVHWSTUgbuQH8ANCLMQ_MgJFVshZiAGu66Kc-sluGcVbdReg3OL91oZ7bLHA/s1600/EUIPO_LOGO_EN.png" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On 12 July
2016 EUROPOL’s headquarters in The Hague witnessed <a href="https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/launch-ipc3-europe%E2%80%99s-response-intellectual-property-crime">the launch</a> of <b>the
Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition (IPC3).</b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgCJKt0YnfBuaTVoNRiU4HxW1ATAwC0v8zL4xkMujUp7HzG8F-82961m0LdXtV94sVw31DTQF-n118m1CjdEddvKnB7RbH7D0Po-q7xZY9XNzBvpAZiheIPIXq696FpcwgZtDo1V8R0uQ/s1600/EUROPOL-Logo-300dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgCJKt0YnfBuaTVoNRiU4HxW1ATAwC0v8zL4xkMujUp7HzG8F-82961m0LdXtV94sVw31DTQF-n118m1CjdEddvKnB7RbH7D0Po-q7xZY9XNzBvpAZiheIPIXq696FpcwgZtDo1V8R0uQ/s1600/EUROPOL-Logo-300dpi.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This organization
constitutes the EU’s response to offences against intellectual property and
stems from the joining of the strengths of EUROPOL and the EUIPO in this area.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The IPC3 arose
out of a strategic agreement between EUROPOL and the EUIPO signed in 2013. It
has been incorporated into the current structure of EUROPOL and receives
financial support from the EUIPO in the amount of 500,000 euros per year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The
organization provides technical and operational support for law enforcement
agencies and other partners both inside and outside the EU by:</span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a)
facilitating and coordinating cross-border investigations;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">b)
monitoring and reporting on trends in on-line offences and watching for the
appearance of new modus operandi;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">c)
improving the harmonization and standardization of legal instruments and
operating procedures to fight intellectual property crime globally;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">d) reaching
the public and law enforcement agencies by enhancing awareness and providing
training in this specific area of knowledge.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The
creation of the IPC3 is more than warranted </b>if we consider the impact of
counterfeit or pirated goods within the EU, which account for 5% of imports
with a total value of 85,000 million euros. The fight against offences of this
nature has to be given priority in order to provide consumers with protection
against dangerous or defective products and to tackle the organized criminal
networks engaging in these illicit activities which are frequently also linked
to other serious forms of transnational crime (smuggling, illegal immigration,
labour exploitation, tax evasion, money laundering, financing terrorist
activities, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <i>Joint
Task Force Observatory EUIPO-INTA of INTA’s EU Anti-Counterfeiting
Subcommittee</i>, of which ELZABURU forms part, had for some time been strongly
advocating the setting up of a specific organization within EUROPOL to combat
crime of this nature.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&&id=JJC">Juan José Caselles</a></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-20198942787619333042016-07-19T10:18:00.000+02:002016-08-22T10:28:31.997+02:00Brexit in IP? Not so fast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgws-LLpPvC75AvuWOlZa7U4Mejv-kUune7j0pb0VJgKakFmor0xa89dSP9EHrvd9OB2FOwRvSXjyM7oDQkf7az3Ho2ByZGVi-ie9YN_SvEAJgb_flDP0wxhSo3fQBc4oRZEH0yjEHajZTF/s1600/brexit-1491370_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgws-LLpPvC75AvuWOlZa7U4Mejv-kUune7j0pb0VJgKakFmor0xa89dSP9EHrvd9OB2FOwRvSXjyM7oDQkf7az3Ho2ByZGVi-ie9YN_SvEAJgb_flDP0wxhSo3fQBc4oRZEH0yjEHajZTF/s320/brexit-1491370_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The decision of the United Kingdom to
“withdraw from the Union” – in the language of the much mentioned article 50 of
the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:JOC_2016_202_R_0001&from=EN">Treaty on European Union</a> – appears to have opened up <i>The Gate of the
Hundred Sorrows</i>, to borrow the title of the story by the British writer Rudyard
Kipling. Lamentations and cries of alarm abound. However, the fact is that the
gate is not open yet (the UK has not notified the European Council of its
intention and will probably take some time to do so) and it remains to be seen
on what conditions the withdrawal will take place and, therefore, what degree
of suffering it may actually cause.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>As regards intellectual property</b> it is
clear, <i>at least on paper</i>, that the withdrawal of the UK will test the
strength of the systems so laboriously constructed over more than half a
century to achieve unification and harmonization in the fields of trademarks,
designs, geographical indications, designations of origin, plant varieties,
trade secrets and patents. Trademarks and designs registered at the European
Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante will cease to have
effects in the UK and means will have to be put in place to determine what will
happen to the existing registrations and the applications under prosecution. A
similar situation will arise with regard to geographical indications,
designations of origin and plant varieties, while the harmonization of trade
secrets which was recently agreed upon will not be applicable in the UK.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The </span><span lang="EN-US">European patent with unitary effect, a project to
which Spain has not adhered, loses one of its most prominent partners. A future
unitary protection for patents will no longer be able to extend to the UK. In
addition, the proposed International Agreement on a Unified Patent Court will
require a different form of ratification and will also need to be reworked,
given that London was the seat chosen for one of the three sections of the
Central Division: that dealing with chemistry, metallurgy and life sciences.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">While companies will have to assess,
within the context of their intangibles strategies, the impact that opting for
systems which leave out so relevant a territory may have, there would not
appear to be any need, for the moment, to take decisions hurriedly. It is true
that when the time comes the unitary effect of the trademarks and designs and
the actions of the courts of the EU will no longer extend to the UK, but that
is the way it used to be not too long ago and companies and practitioners were
able to live with that situation.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">However, the departure of the UK will also
have consequences which are less foreseeable but could prove of undoubted
importance for industrial property and also for copyright. It is undeniable
that in many sensitive areas the UK embodied a manner of seeing things which on
no few occasions conflicted with the more European or continental view. The
tensions between the two visions of intellectual property, or even of unfair
competition, emerged plainly in the very gestation of Community law and in the
interpretation thereof by the Court of Justice. Upon the waning of the British
influence, the situation could change in the future and the delicate balance
which has been achieved in certain areas could be lost for ever.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: whitesmoke; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To conclude, as we began, by quoting
(loosely) from a work by Kipling, on this occasion his famous poem “If”, in the
phase which is now commencing the European Union will need to endeavour to keep
its head when all about are losing theirs, and watch the things it gave its
life to, broken, and stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools.<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="https://es.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-a6a36093/es">Luis Baz</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-77457715907252639772016-07-15T13:20:00.001+02:002016-07-15T13:21:19.337+02:00The European Commission launches the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSSL518cGJVcGvRUt0TXPyIiZr_wj6cGmBpFDPQwkpzSYJ_gRFtKvteC8Sugkp5p66wUjAKcp_2f7Z5F41zyFcVJUeI1SU2HpFqEhHpIXxT_vvfv90tvGKOXRBd-L3cbL_DFn0UH0XuZI/s1600/hands-1445472_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSSL518cGJVcGvRUt0TXPyIiZr_wj6cGmBpFDPQwkpzSYJ_gRFtKvteC8Sugkp5p66wUjAKcp_2f7Z5F41zyFcVJUeI1SU2HpFqEhHpIXxT_vvfv90tvGKOXRBd-L3cbL_DFn0UH0XuZI/s320/hands-1445472_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On 12 July 2016, the European Commission adopted a new
<a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2461_en.htm">arrangement</a> for <b>international exchanges of data between the United States and
the European Union</b>, namely, the “Privacy Shield”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The need for this new framework arose from the judgment
rendered by the CJEU last October in the <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7d2dc30dd6746b1da17e84e4fa915dbde3044db70.e34KaxiLc3qMb40Rch0SaxuRbhf0?text=&docid=169195&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=331685">Schrems </a>case. In its decision, the European Court pointed
out the serious deficiencies in the previous “Safe Harbor” arrangement, to the
extent that it was ruled invalid. [see our <a href="http://elzaburuip.blogspot.com.es/2015/10/no-safe-harbour-sailing-in-tempest-case.html">article</a> on Safe Harbor]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In that regard, in February 2016 it was <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-216_en.htm">announced</a> that
there would be a new framework that would provide the necessary guarantees for
the transatlantic flow of EU citizens’ personal data. Just this month, the French data protection
authority (the <i>Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés</i> –CNIL-)
asked Facebook to stop compiling the data of users who did not have an account
with the social media site and to stop transferring that data to the U.S., thus
creating a growing awareness of transatlantic data transfers throughout the
whole of Europe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For this reason, this new arrangement has been in the
spotlight in a number of sectors ever since it was conceived. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The final wording of the arrangement <b>seeks to reflect the
following principles:</b> </span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Robust
obligations on companies that handle data</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Transparency
and clear safeguards on U.S. government access</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Effective
protection of individual rights</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annual
joint review mechanism </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Those principles will be implemented by the following means:
U.S. companies handling European citizens’ data will have to <b>register to be on
the “Privacy Shield” list and self-certify that they meet the standards set out
by the arrangement; there will also be dispute resolution mechanisms that may
be accessed by citizens who consider their rights to have been violated within
the context of this system; and there will be cooperation between the European
Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The above measures merely seek to ensure an adequate level
of protection of the personal data of EU citizens, as well as assurances for
U.S. companies which, as market operators, handle that data. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The adequacy decision is now in force, though U.S. companies
will not be able to register to be on the aforementioned list until 1 August
2016. As regards EU citizens, the
European Commission has announced that it will be publishing a guide to help
get complaints procedures against companies underway. For the time being, information has been
provided in <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-2462_en.htm">FAQ format</a> along with the press release.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As is typically the case where such momentous issues are
concerned, <b>the terms of this new arrangement have been subject to heavy debate.
</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Figures such as the Euro MP Jan–Philipp Albrecht <a href="https://www.janalbrecht.eu/themen/datenschutz-digitalisierung-netzpolitik/eu-us-privacy-shield-2.html">consider</a>
that although the arrangement might, at first glance, appear to provide
guarantees, the practical application of its mechanisms could render it
meaningless. He highlights the intricate
and complex nature of the rules for legal redress for unauthorised use of
citizens’ personal data due to the large number of intermediaries involved,
such as arbitration bodies and national authorities. Also, a number of sectors have pointed out
that the wording concerning mass surveillance echoes the “Safe Harbor”
framework almost word for word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It should nevertheless be noted that the “Privacy Shield”
has been tweaked throughout the drafting process to accommodate the suggestions
and opinions of the many authorities on the subject, such as the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/documentation/opinion-recommendation/files/2016/wp238_en.pdf">Article 29 Working Party</a>, the <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P8-TA-2016-0233+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN">European Parliament</a> and the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016XX0715(01)&from=ES">European Data Protection Supervisor</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This provides another tool to promote trade between the
European Union and the United States, one that is based on a vision that offers
more guarantees as far as citizens’ rights are concerned.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: start;">
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<span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Authors: <a href="https://es.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-a6a36093/es">Fernando Díaz</a> y <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mart%C3%ADn-bello-63a7aaa5">Martín Bello</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-52548983998179874632016-07-13T12:28:00.000+02:002016-08-17T12:41:15.249+02:00Updating the design protection system<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR3-t0WNOrWsGy1H9aGe9LhGIzS4M2uev0WqFTZfbprwA8RXoOzAi7RKLL7rBXJ5duspFlZ2Q5poGwTUZ7DhgEEYB8f5bqqxZH2WS3-_nUmi0hN-jqutuMIxGrkV6TZ0u4HeCLOIf-M2J/s1600/Dise%25C3%25B1o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR3-t0WNOrWsGy1H9aGe9LhGIzS4M2uev0WqFTZfbprwA8RXoOzAi7RKLL7rBXJ5duspFlZ2Q5poGwTUZ7DhgEEYB8f5bqqxZH2WS3-_nUmi0hN-jqutuMIxGrkV6TZ0u4HeCLOIf-M2J/s1600/Dise%25C3%25B1o.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two studies were recently commissioned by the European Commission for
the <b>purpose of reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of design protection
systems in Europe</b>. One was conducted from the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8844">economic</a> standpoint and the other
from the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8845">legal</a> perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1468416128537&uri=CELEX:31998L0071">Directive 98/71/EC</a> of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 on
the legal protection of designs sought to approximate and harmonize the laws of
the Member States relating to designs. Subsequently, in 2001, the creation, in
line with that Directive, of the system for the protection of Community designs
constituted a milestone in that it permitted unitary protection to be obtained
in all the countries of the EU through a single application. The first
applications were filed at the <a href="https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/">EUIPO</a> (then OHIM) in 2003.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The
purpose of the study</b> carried out from the legal perspective was to determine
whether the current EU design protection framework is contributing to the
strategy as regards innovation and, if appropriate, to make recommendations.
The goal of that strategy is to create an environment wherein it will be easier
to transform ideas into products, thus favouring economic growth and employment.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;">One very positive conclusion arising out of the study
is that <b>a high degree of harmonization has been reached in various aspects
of the design system</b> thanks, to a large extent, to the power of convergence
resulting from the practice and decisions of the EUIPO relating to designs. In
this regard reference is made to the convergence programmes of the EUIPO and to
the agreements between the EUIPO and various national patent offices of EU
Member States for the establishment of common practices in the field of
designs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;">The study team also highlights the efforts made by national patent
offices and courts to bring their decisions into line with the interpretations
of the EUIPO and the EU Court of Justice.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;">At the same time, <b>some controversial points have emerged</b>, among
them the very definition of design, the concept of functionality and the
notions of disclosure and scope of protection.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;">Among the <b>recommendations</b> made by the study team, the need to
clarify the concepts of individual character and industrial sector may be
highlighted. It is suggested that, when determining the individual character of
a design, national patent offices and courts should also refer to the nature of
the product, the manner of use thereof, the purpose for which it is intended and
the industrial sector to which it belongs or where it circulates.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #302d2d; font-size: 13.0pt;">Another recommendation is that the current notions of visibility and normal use be reviewed and that the definition of design should signify that all designs should be visible in order to qualify for protection. Also noteworthy are the recommendations made with respect to the graphic representations. In this regard, the EUIPO's CP6 Convergence Programme has already addressed the issue of corvengence in the graphic representaation of a design.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The study also deals with two key issues connected with design
protection: <b>3D printing and spare parts</b>. 3D printing is a relatively
recent area of technology whose impact extends not only to designs but also to
other forms of IP such as patents, trademarks and copyright. The study team
takes a very cautious approach to this subject, stressing the need for deeper
analysis from all standpoints and making recommendations regarding the possible
adoption of provisions on direct or indirect design infringement. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>The question of spare parts</b> had already been addressed in </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1468416128537&uri=CELEX:31998L0071">Directive 98/71/EC</a> which put in place the transitional “freeze plus”
solution. This system allowed each country to maintain its existing legal
provisions on the subject but also to make changes provided that their goal was
to liberalize the market for component parts used for the purpose of repairing
complex products. However, national laws are not harmonized. In some countries,
and in the case of EU designs, it is not possible to exercise the rights
derived from the design of component parts of complex products upon whose
appearance the protected design is
dependent for repair purposes. In contrast, it is possible in other countries,
such as France and Germany. <b>The study team strongly suggests that this
situation be remedied and recommends that the spare parts issue be addressed in
conjunction with that of 3D printing, as this technology may impact the
manufacture and distribution of spare parts.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">As </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Directive 98/71/EC is about
to come of age and over 13 years have elapsed since the system for the
protection of Community designs was implemented at the EUIPO, an updating
process was by now called for. What the Commission has therefore done is call a
pause in order to evaluate the current situation and propose improvements for
the consideration of all parties with an interest in the design protection
system.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>N.B</b>. Article originally published in <a href="http://www.eleconomista.es/ecoley/iuris/publico.php">Iuris & Lex</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/other-practitioners?task=view&id=PSC">Pedro Saturio</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en"> </a> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5540210041505740033.post-88626736684815657312016-07-08T12:29:00.000+02:002016-07-20T11:30:47.303+02:00The lessors of physical premises also infringe trademark rights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw-z7uR9NVlsif_q01HoIXZdYKKpBWj2MegiNUm9JwUO9kO-SzQeYED1tJq3Gs1K6pbYkqVYfGuS6LZ0tczv22cC8Ol9Azi8AYO2ieOdOAjaSc21k7IMMHYE1acQRzctX_QoEVfYwgcrl/s1600/flea-market-804760_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw-z7uR9NVlsif_q01HoIXZdYKKpBWj2MegiNUm9JwUO9kO-SzQeYED1tJq3Gs1K6pbYkqVYfGuS6LZ0tczv22cC8Ol9Azi8AYO2ieOdOAjaSc21k7IMMHYE1acQRzctX_QoEVfYwgcrl/s320/flea-market-804760_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you are going to let premises or a sales point in a
market hall to a trader who could be infringing intellectual property rights,
bear in mind that you could end up being sued by the rightholders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The CJEU, in a judgment published yesterday (7 July 2016) in
case <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7d2dc30ddc149794737ce419e9053e25052d1a2eb.e34KaxiLc3qMb40Rch0SaxuTbx50?text=&docid=181465&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1497267">C-494/15</a>, <b>considers lessors as an “intermediary” against whom an
injunction can be issued</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The judgment stems from legal proceedings brought by Tommy
Hilfiger, Lacoste and Burberry against Delta Center. The defendant is the tenant of the
marketplace ‘Pražská tržnice’ (Prague market halls), which sublets to
market-traders the various sales areas in that marketplace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The plaintiffs basically asked Prague City Court to order
Delta Center to refrain from concluding or extending contracts for the rental
of sales areas in the market halls with persons who infringe intellectual
property rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The judgment concludes as follows: “<i>The third sentence of
Article 11 of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32004L0048&rid=1">Directive 2004/48/EC</a> of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 29 April 2004 on the enforcement of intellectual property rights
must be interpreted as meaning that the tenant of market halls who sublets the
various sales points situated in those halls to market-traders, some of whom
use their pitches in order to sell counterfeit branded products, falls within
the concept of ‘an intermediary whose services are being used by a third party
to infringe an intellectual property right’ within the meaning of that
provision</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The judgment goes on to specify that the <b>conditions
established for action against intermediaries in an online marketplace also
apply to action against intermediaries in a physical marketplace</b>, i.e.,
“<i>injunctions must be equitable and proportionate. They must not therefore be excessively
expensive and must not create barriers to legitimate trade. Nor can the intermediary be required to
exercise general and permanent oversight over its customers. By contrast, the intermediary may be forced
to take measures which contribute to avoiding new infringements of the same
nature by the same market-trader from taking place.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although the judgment calls for a fair balance to be struck,
<b>the subjective extension of the concept of “intermediary” to actions for
intellectual property infringement in the physical marketplace seems clear.</b></span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en/team/partners?task=view&id=AC">Antonio Castán</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Visit our website: </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.elzaburu.es/en">http://www.elzaburu.es/en</a></span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663784807069577346noreply@blogger.com20