The USPTO periodically updates its database of approved
identifications of goods and services. https://idm-tmng.uspto.gov/id-master-list-public.html.
These changes often are made to conform
to updates in the international Nice Classification system. Another source of changes is user suggestions
to add identifications for types of goods/services or goods/services which are
not well-covered in the existing USPTO Manual of Acceptable Identifications.More
Australia: Non-Use Period Reduced
Australia’s Intellectual
Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other
Measures) Act 2018 (Amendment Act) took effect on February 24, 2019. The key change is a reduction in the time
period before a trademark registration can be challenged for non-use.
Before the Amendment Act,More
Brazil: New Conditions for Registration of Geographical Indications
The Brazil Patent and
Trademark Office outlined new conditions for the registration of Geographical
Indications by way of its Normative Instruction 095/2018, published on December
28, 2018 and entered into force on February 26, 2019.
Geographical indications
(GIs), which can be protected as intellectual property rights,More
European Union: New Copyright Directive
On April 15, 2019, final
approval was granted by both the European Parliament and the Council of the
European Union to The European Union Directive on Copyright in the Digital
Single Market (the “Directive”), giving EU member states two years to codify
the new Directive into their own national laws. More
Singapore: “Goods in Transit” Are “Imported”
The Singapore Court of Appeal recently held that “goods in transit” are considered to be “imported” for the purpose of the Trademarks Act and thus, subject to trademark infringement claims.
In Burberry Ltd. v. Megastar Shipping Pte Ltd ([2019] SGCA (Court of
Appeal),More
WIPO: Divisions and Mergers of IRS Allowed
Effective February 1, 2019, the new Rule 27bis of the Common Regulations under the Madrid Agreement and Protocol allows holders of International Registrations (IRs) to request the division of an IR within a designated jurisdiction. For example, some goods/services may remain in the existing IR,More
United Kingdom: Registered EU Rights Protected in UK Even if no Brexit Deal
According to the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (see www.gov.uk), the UK government is taking steps to prepare to leave the EU on March 29, 2019 in a process known as Brexit. However, with that date drawing ever nearer,More
Spain: Trademark Law Reform
Pursuant to Royal Decree 23/2018, approved by the Spanish government on December 21, 2018, the Spanish Trademark Law was amended to conform to the amendments to EU Harmonization Directive 2015/2436 (“Directive”). The principal changes include: (1) Any individual, regardless of nationality, residence or structure, may secure More
Samoa: Accession to Madrid Protocol
Samoa acceded to the Madrid Protocol on December 4, 2018. The Protocol will enter into force with respect to Samoa on March 4, 2019. Samoa will be the 103rd member of the Madrid System. See more www.wipo.int
Israel: Blocking Orders Permissible Against ISPS
On January 1, 2019, the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) approved Amendment No. 5 to Israel’s Copyright Law, which adds the following provisions:
- Indirect copyright infringement by making copyright-protected content available to the public (new Section 48A);
- Restriction of access to an internet site by court order (new Section 53A);