The USPTO’s fraudulent filings crackdown continues; strategic insights from industry leaders; call for IP offices to be “agents of change”; and much more

The Long Read

The covid-19 pandemic and increase in remote working has highlighted that any team’s success is rooted in its talent. FIFA’s Daniel Zohny shares an insider’s view of how to recruit and motivate a stellar roster of trademark experts fit to face any and all obstacles. Read more

Monday 5 July

Amazon announced the launch of the IP Accelerator programme in India, offering sellers that are also brand owners access to services from trusted IP experts and law firms. Read more

WTR’s Global Leaders explained why the US Trademark Modernisation Act is a game changer for IP protection. Read more

Plus:

• General Court provides guidance on bad faith in RIVIERA AIRPORTS case (European Union)
• Bombay High Court: copyright registration of label not mandatory (India)

Tuesday 6 July

Holly White, senior consultant at Rouse, considered the increasing focus on IP rights in international trade agreements and what this means for trademark owners around the world. Read more

The USPTO continued its crackdown on fraudulent filings from China, with one expert suggesting that the latest move could lead to US trademark applications from Chinese entities “falling significantly”. Read more

Tuesday’s news round-up saw Tokyo police stepping up Olympic counterfeit enforcement; Verizon selling the Yahoo! brand in Japan, the IP Office of the Philippines calling on better policies, and much more. Read more

Plus:

• Appeal court confirms $1.4 million infringement award in favour of L’Occitane (China)
• Thomas v Luv One Luv All Promotions Ltd: latest instalment in band member dispute sees successful appeal against IPEC judgment (United Kingdom)

Wednesday 7 July

We teamed up with CompuMark to calculate which companies own the largest trademark portfolios in China, Europe and the United States. Read more

Florent Gevers and Frederick ‘Fritz’ Lanham were named among this year’s inductees into the IP Hall of Fame. Read more

Chilean National Institute of Industrial Property Director Loreto Bresky called for IP offices to become “protagonists and agents of change” following the establishment of the new Latin American Network of Intellectual Property and Gender. Read more

Plus:

• HYAL decision highlights importance of relevant public in assessing registrability (European Union)
• Publication of two new mandatory precedents regarding cancellation actions (Peru)

Thursday 8 July

In an exclusive interview with WTR, the vice president of operations at XYZ, Jocelyn Hanc, shared information on how the registry is evolving its brand protection and anti-fraud operations. Read more

The Philippines Ministry of Interior Counter-Counterfeit Committee has suspended operations related to the inspection and confiscation of counterfeit products, except in extra cases, following a rise in covid-19 cases across the country. Read more

Covid-19 has affected IP practices in a range of ways. WTR’s Global Leaders reflected on changes to workplace processes and the IP landscape that have been felt over the last 18 months. Read more

In a co-published article, drawing on the results a survey of 2,000 consumers, Red Points’ Daniel Shapiro identified how and why shoppers purchase fake goods, revealing the practical actions that brand owners can take to fight back. Read more

Plus:

• New CNIPA and SAMR guiding opinions signal better protection for GIs (China)
• Kenya and Uganda update: deadlines that trademark owners should be aware of (International)
• Examining the official and unofficial translation rules for trademarks in Cape Verde (International report: Africa)
• Beating infringement at the border – catching counterfeiters in China (International report: China)
• Business savvy or abuse of rights – knowing whether well-known trademarks are up for the taking (International report: Germany)

Friday 9 July

The first of a new series revealed what the world’s top brands are up to and where their businesses are going. Read more

In our latest news round-up, we looked at a court ordering Lotus Health Group to sell trademarks, the Georgian IP office establishing a GI commission, Invest Europe and EUIPO teaming up to support SMEs, and much more. Read more

Plus:

• Opposition against OT TANGO succeeds on grounds of confusing similarity and passing off (Singapore)
• General Court provides guidance on assessing bad faith in ENTEROSGEL case (European Union)

Saturday 10 July

In our latest Saturday opinion column, we scrutinised the amicus brief submitted by INTA on the registrability of country names as trademarks. Read more

WTR Special Report: Inside in-house operations

WTR is pleased to announce the publication of its latest Special Report. “Inside in-house operations: how to build world-class trademark functions and portfolios” takes a deep dive into portfolio, brand and in-house team management – with insight from experts at companies including Facebook, FIFA, Novartis, Verizon and Vodafone. Read more