Latest blogs
Avoiding Bratz: cross-company understanding of IP necessary
United States - One thing that can be learnt from the dispute between Mattel and MGA Entertainment over the Bratz doll brand is that not every employee of any given company understands IP rights. Knowledge of intellectual property runs through the veins of some companies - WTR recently heard from Siemens about that corporation's IP-aware 400,000 employees (full details will be published this autumn). For others, fostering this sort of understanding is trickier. Read blogAdam Smith | July 29 2010
ICANN responds to questions over potential trademark rebuff
International - ICANN has responded to the blog post WTR published yesterday that speculated whether the board would close the chapter on trademark protection mechanisms in the new gTLD programme without full analysis of the latest round of comments. The body has now stated that the board will receive the analysis in time for its September retreat. Read blogAdam Smith | July 28 2010
Did ICANN just imply that the new gTLDs process will snub trademarks?
International - Here's some exclusive news from ICANN, and trademark owners will not like it. The organisation has indicated that the trademark concerns surrounding new gTLDs will not be put to bed in time for the board's retreat in September. This will alarm mark owners because Peter Dengate Thrush, ICANN's chair, has told WTR: "If the issues are not cleared up by September then we'll be forced to make some decisions. If the community can't decide, we'll step in and force it into some sort of arrangement or decision." Read blogAdam Smith | July 27 2010
Updates and analysis
Anti-counterfeiting 2010 – A Global Guide
Sub-Saharan Africa - Counterfeits are not produced to any significant degree in Africa; they are primarily manufactured in Asia, particularly China. Full text
Preparing for change – establishing a domain name strategy for the gTLD regime ![[premium]](/images/rounds/premium.png)
Changes to the domain space have prompted speculation about the potential threat to brand owners, yet many have still to review their domain name strategies to reflect the new online landscape. So where should they begin? Full text
Board erred in restricting likelihood of confusion assessment to single premise
European Union - In mPAY24 GmbH v OHIM, the General Court has annulled a decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM in opposition proceedings against the registration of the mark MPAY. The board, in its global assessment of the likelihood of confusion, should have assessed not only the distinctive character of the earlier MPAY24 mark, but also the degree of similarity between the goods and services at issue, and the degree of similarity between the marks. Full text
Country correspondent - Design and trade dress
Italy - Whether obtaining protection for 3D trademarks and designs or utilizing unfair competition laws, a range of protections are available to mark owners in Italy. Full text
Featured partner
Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP)
The drain on businesses and the global economy from counterfeit goods and piracy of intellectual property is of great concern to ICC member companies worldwide. Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) is an ICC initiative that unites the global business community across all product sectors to address issues associated with intellectual property theft and to petition for greater commitments by local, national and international officials in the enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights. Visit: www.iccwbo.org/bascap
