Behind the scenes at EUIPO and USPTO; WIPO ADR services; WTR Connect week-two highlights; and much more
Everything we covered on WTR over the past seven days – and all you need to know from the world of trademarks to set yourself up for the start of another busy week.
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Monday 12 October
Ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations have Australia pressured to adopt an EU-centric geographical indication regime. Yet despite concerns felt by rights holders, local experts told WTR that the new system could be “an opportunity to break new ground”. Read more
In a guest analysis, members of Nishith Desai Associates took an in-depth look at national legislation to argue that while the Trademarks Act does not specifically recognise sub-licensing in India, there is room to manoeuvre. Read more
In the 12 months since the implementation of the Madrid Protocol in Brazil, the National Institute of Industrial Property is celebrating its success, but experts on the ground gave WTR mixed feedback on the system, highlighting a number of ongoing issues. Read more
Tuesday 13 October
Coca-Cola’s brand purge, the TikTok star caught up in a Nintendo name spat, an anti-counterfeit blockchain start-up investigation and a next-generation trademark status tool were among the focus of Tuesday’s news round-up. Read more
Industry leaders from Blue Cross Shield, Greenberg Traurig, Harley-Davidson Motor Company and The Walt Disney Company hit home at WTR Connect with a frank talk on why the trademark industry still has a way to go to improve diversity and representation across the board. Read more
Wednesday 14 October
In an exclusive interview, Oracle assistant general counsel and 2021 INTA president Tiki Dare sat down with WTR to explain how she has approached the management of the business-to-business tech company’s unique portfolio and the role that the INTA community has played in that. Read more
In a fireside chat at WTR Connect, EUIPO Executive Director Christian Archambeau provided insight into the changing filing patterns that have seen Chinese applicants become the top filers at the office, as well as an update on efforts to fight the scourge of solicitation scams. Read more
As eBay expands its authenticity service to combat fake goods, brand protection experts praised the move, but suggested that it may not go far enough, calling for expansion into other product sectors and major online retail platforms. Read more
We highlighted key takeaways from the WTR Connect masterclass on creating resilient brands, in which experts from Del Monte Foods, Dr Martens Airwair, Entertainment One and McDermott Will & Emery explained how commercially aware cost-benefit analysis is essential to long-lasting protection. Read more
Thursday 15 October
WTR caught up with USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks David Gooder to get the inside track on the office's "rollercoaster" year for trademark filings, efforts to ensure the integrity of the register, planned fee increases and future financial planning. Read more
An exclusive guest post shone the spotlight on how WIPO has been working with global IP offices to promote the advantages of alternative dispute resolution services. Read more
Friday 16 October
Highlights from the second week of WTR Connect ranged from tips for picking external counsel and strategies to bring down enforcement costs to insight into fighting counterfeits during a pandemic, record-breaking filing levels in Asia-Pacific and how Microsoft’s tech philosophy spurs the trademark department. Read more
As Royal Enfield sets its sights on EU and US markets, we asked local practitioners whether the Indian company would be able to revitalise the heritage brand in its original market, decades after falling out of fashion there. Read more
Our Friday news round-up considered a Korean Intellectual Property Office counterfeit crackdown, the sale of Nestlé’s water brands, prospective geographical indications in Pakistan, a Trump memo calling for e-commerce counterfeit liability, and much more. Read more
WTR data analysis examined Playboy’s decision to prioritise its licensing business as the brand undergoes a major overhaul in an attempt to stay current. Read more
This week’s update on the measures that national IP offices have launched in response to covid-19 saw developments at the IP offices of Cuba, Latvia and the Czech Republic. Read more
Saturday 17 October
Our latest delve into the trademark archive returned a selection of articles focusing on the inner workings of technology brands, including Intel, IBM and Western Digital. Read more