conceptual difference, Confusion, cosmetic trademarks, descriptive elements, pharmaceutical trademarks, Weak elements in trademarks

, (BomhardIP)/ /Leave a comment

Three recent General Court judgments concerning oppositions between trademark in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields have caught our attention. In all three cases, the marks were found similar essentially on account of common rather descriptive elements. MUNDIPHARMA/MULTIPHARMA – T-144/16 of 7 November 2017: the EUTM application MULTIPHARMA in classes 5, 35, 42 was refused based…

Brexit, European Union, EUTM, United Kingdom

(Stobbs IP)/ /Leave a comment

On 5th December the European Commission and the EUIPO issued this notice to EUTM and RCD applicants and owners. It is a stark spelling out of what will happen on the date of withdrawal of the UK from the EU – 30 March 2019 – if there is no agreement on the issue of EUTMs…

Denmark, Design Rights, Infringement

, (Gorrissen Federspiel)/ /Leave a comment

In a previous post we explored the potential disadvantages of failing to utilise the registered community design (“RCD”) in a Danish context. By contrast, this post will examine the possibilities of enforcement when a product is not protected as a RCD but as an unregistered community design (“UCD”). Further, this post will demonstrate how the…

Domain name, India, Trademark

( O.P. Jindal Global University, Jindal Global Law School)/ /Leave a comment

On the 24th of August, 2017, the Indian Supreme Court handed down an important decision concerning image and personality rights. In fact, it deemed the right to privacy as a fundamental right. It has, however, left some important questions open, in particular, the definition of personality rights giving rise to such right to privacy. Personality…

3D Trademark, Distinctiveness, Trademark, United Kingdom

(Stobbs IP)/ /Leave a comment

The Court of Appeal (‘CoA’) recently published its decision on the validity of two shape mark registrations for the shape of London black taxis. Unfortunately, it has not improved the position for those seeking protection for trade dress in the UK. Pure recognition of the sign is still not sufficient basis to lay claim to…

CJEU, EUTM, Infringement action

(De Simone & Partners S.P.A.) and (Bugnion S.p.A)/ /Leave a comment

With decision C-425/16 of October 19, 2017, the European Union Court of Justice (“CJEU”) pronounced on whether or not EU national courts can dismiss an infringement action without first ruling on a counterclaim for invalidity, and if the courts must wait until the decision on the counterclaim is final. The issue arose from a request of…

Case law, Norway

(Protector IPC)/ /Leave a comment

This is a follow up to the blog post of 4 September, regarding Oslo Municipality’s attempt to obtain trade mark protection for the body of works of art of Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. Previously, the EFTA Court concluded that a trade mark consisting of a work of art may contravene accepted principles of morality or…

Confusion, Defences, Denmark, Trademark

, (Gorrissen Federspiel)/ /Leave a comment

This is the final part of the two-part blog on estoppel which will focus on relevant case law where estoppel is essential to the result of the case. You can read the first part of the blog which deals with the theory of estoppel here. As is evident from the case law below, the establishment…