UK High Court issues latest decision in MERCK trade mark saga
The UK High Court partially revoked the term 'pharmaceutical substances and preparations' and clarified online 'use in the course of trade' requirements
23 June 2020
UK appointed person invalidates AFFINITY marks as descriptive but not customary
The appointed person upheld the UKIPO’s invalidation decision, despite finding the hearing officer was incorrect to say the AFFINITY marks had become customary
01 December 2020
Trade Secrets Regulations: interim injunction preventing use of confidential information
In one of the first cases to consider the Trade Secrets Regulations, the High Court has granted an injunction to prevent imports to the UK from China
11 September 2020
Trade marks: CJEU considers requirements for a finding of bad faith
The CJEU has clarified that there is no requirement for the later mark to cover identical or similar goods or services to the earlier mark for a finding of bad faith
24 September 2019
The CJEU examines 'genuine use' of the Green Dot 'recycling’ collective trade mark
Consumers are likely to be influenced to purchase goods where the packaging can be disposed of in an environmentally sound way, thus creating or maintaining a market share relating to those goods
30 January 2020
Summary Judgment: a powerful enforcement tool in a brand owner’s armoury
The bailiffs featured in the ‘Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!’ TV show successfully applied for summary judgment in passing off against a rival debt collection agency
07 May 2020
Seeing red: UK High Court holds Babybel's 'red wax' trade mark invalid
The UK IPO’s decision to invalidate the Babybel shape trade mark was upheld by the High Court due to lack of clarity and precision in the colour 'red'
13 February 2020
SkyKick: UK High Court issues eagerly anticipated decision
The UK High Court found a number of Sky’s trade marks partially invalid on the grounds of bad faith, but notwithstanding this, SkyKick was still found liable for infringement
30 April 2020
SkyKick: trade marks with broad specifications are valid unless registered in bad faith
The CJEU has held that the use of broad terms in a trade mark specification is not grounds for invalidity but a lack of intention to use the mark for those goods and services could amount to bad faith
14 February 2020
Red Bull's blue/ silver colour combination trade marks remain invalid
The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has provided a further blow to Red Bull’s attempts to retain trade mark protection for its blue/silver colour combination as applied to drinks cans
10 September 2019
New EUIPO Common Practice Updates on Shape Trade Marks and Online Disclosure of Designs
The EUIPO has published two new Common Practices, the first relating to registrability of shape trade marks and the second relating to online design disclosure
24 April 2020
No-go for Nosecco following opposition by Prosecco
The UK High Court agreed with the UK Trade Mark Registry that a mark incorporating Nosecco was evocative of and deceptive in relation to the PDO for Prosecco
17 July 2020