copyright

This year's theme for the International Women’s Day is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.” Intellectual Property (IP) offices and organizations around the globe are coming together to support diversity within our offices and organizations and across the IP system.

A recent case brought back to our attention the importance of understanding the reach of protection granted to marks with a reputation in EU law. The trade mark in question here was undoubtedly one of the most famous brands worldwide: Google.

Infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR) is a major risk for the profitability and survival of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), according to a joint report by the EUIPO, through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

By Eleonora Rosati

When you travel to France, the Eiffel Tower in Paris will be one of the key sites to visit; when you think of Italy, one of that country’s symbols is Michelangelo’s David; as you enjoy the sun setting down in the Spanish city of Logroño, you may well order some Chorizo Riojano to go with your glass of Rioja wine; when you stroll down the streets of Copenhagen, you will admire the beautiful furniture and the distinctive Scandinavian design style on display in local stores.

Approximately 86 million fake items were detained in the European Union in 2021, an increase of almost 31 % compared to 2020, according to a joint report by the EUIPO and the European Commission. However, the estimated value of fake items detained in the EU amounted to over EUR 1.9 billion, a decrease of circa 3 % in 2021 compared to 2020.

European IP Helpdesk “IP Specials” are thematic packages consisting of different media formats such as animated clips, interviews, articles, or infographics that take a closer look at a specific intellectual property (IP) topic.

Visual artist Valentin Georgiev from Ruse won a court case against the Ivan Vazov school for destroying his mural on one of the walls in the music room. The artist created the mural in 2012 but last summer it was covered with paint with a decision of the school management and a photo wallpaper was stuck to the adjacent wall. The mural represented a sheet music with birds, notes, flowers and children on it in harmony with several warm colours.

Earlier this year, Mariah Carey’s legal team filed a trademark request for the phrase Queen of Christmas that was both expansive and not limited to products typically associated with the holiday.

Here are some of the dozens of goods and services covered in the filing:

From Monday 1 August, a new application programming interface (API) platform as well as a new and improved EU trade mark (EUTM) filing form are available for all customers.

Both tools are key milestones in the ongoing modernisation of the EUIPO’s digital services and take into consideration the input received from customers. The Strategic Plan 2025 commits to developing innovative tools and services using next-generation technologies.

API platform