Category: trade marks

Coty Germany GmbH (formerly Coty Prestige Lancaster Group GmbH) v First Note Perfumes NV – WLR Daily

Posted June 11th, 2014 in conflict of laws, EC law, jurisdiction, law reports, trade marks by sally

Coty Germany GmbH (formerly Coty Prestige Lancaster Group GmbH) v First Note Perfumes NV (Case C‑360/12); ECLI:EU:C:2014:911; [2014] WLR (D) 243

‘The concept of “the member state in which the act of infringement has been committed” in article 93(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 40/94 of 20 December 1993 on the Community trade mark meant that, in the event of a sale and delivery of a counterfeit product in one member state, followed by a resale by the purchaser in another member state, that provision did not allow jurisdiction to be established to hear an infringement action against the original seller who did not himself act in the member state where the court seised was situated.’

WLR Daily, 5th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Intellectual property law – achieving a balance between the right to enforce and protecting innovation – Law Commission

Posted April 16th, 2014 in civil procedure rules, competition, enforcement, intellectual property, Law Commission, patents, reports, trade marks by tracey

‘Patents, trade marks and design rights are valuable intellectual property (IP) rights and vital to economic growth. They ensure that research and innovation is encouraged and rewarded. And, for some small businesses, they can represent their most significant assets. The law provides effective ways to enforce IP rights but these can be misused to drive competitors from the market. In a report published today, the Law Commission is recommending reforms that will allow individuals and businesses to protect their IP rights but not at the expense of new ideas and inventions.’

Full report

Law Commission, 15th April 2014

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Intellectual Property in the UK and Europe – Speech by Lord Neuberger

Posted April 14th, 2014 in EC law, intellectual property, news, patents, trade marks by sally

Intellectual Property in the UK and Europe (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger

Burrell Lecture for the Competition Law, 1st April 2014

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Trade Marks and Internet Searches: Lush v Amazon – NIPC Law

Posted April 9th, 2014 in advertising, internet, news, trade marks by sally

‘In Cosmetic Warriors Ltd and Another v amazon.co.uk Ltd and Another [2014] EWHC 181 Mr John Baldwin QC, sitting as a judge of the High Court, had to decide whether causing advertising to appear on an Internet user’s screen for products that competed with those of the claimants whenever the user entered the claimants’ trade mark into a search box amounted to an infringement of the claimants’ mark.’

Full story

NIPC Law, 7th April 2014

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) v National Lottery Commission – WLR Daily

Posted April 1st, 2014 in EC law, gambling, law reports, trade marks by sally

Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) v National Lottery Commission (Case C-530/12P); [2014] WLR (D) 146

‘In an application for a declaration of invalidity of a Community trade mark, where the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (“OHIM”) was called upon to take account of the national law of the member state in which protection was given to an earlier mark on which the application was based, OHIM had to, of its own motion and by whatever means considered appropriate, obtain information about that national law, where such information was necessary for the purposes of assessing the applicability of a ground for invalidity relied on before it and of assessing the accuracy of the facts adduced or the probative value of the documents submitted.’

WLR Daily, 27th March 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

“The Only Girl in the World”: the Rihanna judgment and the protection of ‘image rights’ in English law – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted March 10th, 2014 in intellectual property, media, news, photography, sport, trade marks by sally

‘Despite the evident commercial value in the ‘image’ of modern sports personalities (indeed there are annual awards held by the BBC to identify the most noteworthy) there is no specific right to protect one’s image under English law. Relying on a cocktail of different causes of action and legal rights, English law offers some protections to a person whose ‘image’ is exploited for commercial reasons. The ingredients include: copyright and trademarks, the torts of defamation, breach of confidence, passing-off as well potentially through statutory rules ensuring data protection.’

Full story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 7th March 2014

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Backaldrin Österreich The Kornspitz Co GmbH v Pfahnl Backmittel GmbH – WLR Daily

Posted March 7th, 2014 in EC law, law reports, trade marks by tracey

Backaldrin Österreich The Kornspitz Co GmbH v Pfahnl Backmittel GmbH(Case C-409/12); [2014] WLR (D) 112

‘Under article 12(2)(a) of Parliament and Council Directive 2008/95/EC a trade mark was liable to revocation in respect of a product for which it was registered if, in consequence of acts or “inactivity” of the proprietor, that trade mark had become the common name for that product from the point of view solely of end users of the product. There was “inactivity” if the proprietor of the trade mark did not encourage sellers to make more use of that mark in marketing a product in respect of which the mark was registered; and the revocation of a trade mark did not presuppose that it had to be ascertained whether there were other names for a product for which that trade mark had become the common name in the trade.’

WLR Daily, 6th March 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Registered Community Designs: Magmatic Ltd v PMS International Ltd – NIPC Law

Posted March 5th, 2014 in appeals, intellectual property, interpretation, news, trade marks by sally

‘In Magmatic Ltd v PMS International Ltd [2013] EWHC 1925 (Pat) (11 July 2013) Mr Justice Arnold held that PMS International Ltd (“PMS”) had infringed registered Community design number 43427-0001 (“the RCD”), some of Magmatic Ltd (“Magmatic”)’s design rights and Magmatic’s literary copyright in its safety notice. Magmatic appealed to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the judge fell into error in finding infringement of the RCD in that he had wrongly interpreted the RCD and improperly excluded from his consideration various aspects of the design of Magimax’s product. In Magmatic Ltd v PMS International Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ 181 (28 Feb 2014) the Court of Appeal (Lords Justices Moses and Kitchin and Lady Justice Black) allowed the appeal.’

Full story

NIPC Law, 4th March 2014

Source: www.nicplaw.blogspot.co.uk

Trade Marks: British Shorinji Kempo Federation v Shorinji Kempo Unity – NIPC Law

Posted March 3rd, 2014 in appeals, consent, intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

‘Two interesting points arose in British Shorinji Kempo Federation v Shorinji Kempo Unity [2014] EWHC 285 (Ch) (17 Feb 2014) in which my colleague Thomas Dillon appeared for the British Shorinji Kempo Foundation (“BSKF”) on a pro bono basis. The first was what constitutes genuine use for the purpose of s.6A of the Trade Marks Act 1994. The second was the methodology by which the judge determined whether the mark that had BSKF sought to register was similar to one that had previously been registered by Shorinji Kempo Unity (“SKU”) and if so whether there was any likelihood of confusion for the purposes of s.5 (2) of the Act.’

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NIPC Law, 24th February 2014

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Leidseplein Beheer BV and another v Red Bull GmbH and another – WLR Daily

Posted February 12th, 2014 in EC law, law reports, third parties, trade marks by sally

Leidseplein Beheer BV and another v Red Bull GmbH and another (Case C-65/12); [2014] WLR (D) 48

‘Under article 5(2) of First Council Directive 89/104/EEC, the proprietor of a trade mark with a reputation could be obliged, pursuant to the concept of “due cause” within the meaning of that provision, to tolerate the use by a third party of a sign similar to that mark in relation to a product which was identical to that for which that mark was registered, if it was demonstrated that the sign was being used before that mark was filed and that the use of that sign in relation to the identical product was in good faith.’

WLR Daily, 6th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Amazon and Lush ruling shows there’s an ‘added layer of protection’ against ‘piggy-backing’ on trade marks, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 12th, 2014 in advertising, internet, news, sale of goods, trade marks by sally

‘Cosmetics company Lush was entitled to prevent Amazon using its trade mark to promote rival goods for sale on Amazon and via Google, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th February 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

“Unfair advantage” under the Trade Marks Directive – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted February 7th, 2014 in consumer protection, news, trade marks by tracey

‘Readers over the age of 24 do not fall into Jack Wills’ core target market, and may therefore be unfamiliar with the clothing brand’s “Mr Wills” pheasant logo. On the other hand, those readers who are Jack Wills devotees may want to check when you get home that you have not got confused and accidentally purchased, for about the same price, a House of Fraser product adorned with this equally delightful but nonetheless different bird. If you did get confused, it is perfectly understandable. After all, they’re both silhouettes of birds “equipped with accessories associated with an English gentleman”, as Mr Justice Arnold explained last week in Jack Wills Ltd v House of Fraser (Stores) Ltd [2014] EWHC 110 (Ch).’

Full story

Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 4th February 2014

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Illegal tobacco seller Roger Gerrey sold cigarettes to children – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2014 in children, consumer protection, news, sentencing, smoking, suspended sentences, trade marks by tracey

‘A man who turned his Devon home into a shop selling illegal cigarettes to school children has been spared a jail sentence.’

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BBC News, 9th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rivella International AG v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) ( Baskaya di Baskaya Alim e C Sas intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted December 17th, 2013 in appeals, EC law, intellectual property, law reports, regulations, trade marks, treaties by sally

Rivella International AG v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) ( Baskaya di Baskaya Alim e C Sas intervening) Case (C-445/12P); [2013] WLR (D) 493

‘Trade marks registered under international arrangements which had effect in a member state, as referred to in article 8(2)(a)(iii) of Council Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 of 26 February 2009 on the Community trade mark (OJ 2009 L78, p 1), were subject to the same system as trade marks registered in a member state, as referred to in article 8(2)(a)(ii) of the Regulation. As such, where pleaded in opposition proceedings before OHIM, they were subject to the requirement in article 42(3) of the Regulation to prove the requisite prior use, the concept of use of a Community trade mark in the European Union being exclusively and exhaustively governed by EU law.’

WLR Daily, 12th December 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Re-brand of imported drugs under locally used trade mark not justified, rules High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 25th, 2013 in medicines, news, trade marks by tracey

‘A drugs distributor was not justified in changing the name of products it had imported from France and Germany to sell into the UK to that of a rivals’ trade mark, the High Court has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Rihanna takes on Topshop: Get my face off that t-shirt! – OUP Blog

Posted November 18th, 2013 in consent, copyright, misrepresentation, news, privacy, trade marks by sally

“Robyn Fenty — Rihanna to most of us — enjoyed victory in the English High Court earlier this year when she succeeded in stopping High Street fashion retailer Topshop from selling an unauthorised t-shirt bearing her image. 12,000 units of this t-shirt were sold, most at £22 each.”

Full story

OUP Blog, 15th November 2013

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Cadbury’s purple mark and Mattel’s Scrabble tile mark are tricky to register – Technology Law Update

Posted November 18th, 2013 in appeals, news, trade marks by sally

“The Court of Appeal has recently handed down judgements in Société des Produits Nestlé SA v Cadbury UK Limited and JW Spear & Sons Limited, Mattel Inc & Mattel UK Limited v Zynga Inc, which emphasise the importance of complying with the conditions of Article 2 of the Trade Marks Directive 2008/95/EC as being a ‘sign’ capable of graphic representation.”

Full story

Technology Law Update, 15th November 2013

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Sweet shop owner fined £400 for selling 30p Asda chocolate as £3 Wonka bars – The Independent

Posted November 6th, 2013 in consumer protection, costs, counterfeiting, fines, food, news, trade marks by sally

“A sweet shop owner has been fined after he sold 30p Asda Smart Price chocolate bars as ‘Wonka’ bars worth £3.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

CoA rules Scrabble tile trademark to be invalid – The Lawyer

Posted October 15th, 2013 in appeals, intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

“An attempt by the makers of Scrabble to protect its iconic letter tiles from imitations by claiming trademark rights has been thrown out by the Court of Appeal.”

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The Lawyer, 14th October 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

On the Tiles – the Court of Appeal’s Judgment in Spear and Others v Zynga – NIPC Law

Posted October 14th, 2013 in appeals, competition, EC law, news, trade marks by sally

“S.1 (1) of the Trade Marks Act 1994, which implements art 2 of Directive 2008/95/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 October 2008 to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks, defines a trade mark as ‘any sign capable of being represented graphically which is capable of distinguishing goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings.’ If you are new to trade mark law or wish to be refreshed on the basics take a decko at ‘Introduction to Trade Marks’ in our IP South East blog of 9 Oct 2013.”

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NIPC Law, 13th October 2013

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk