Region: Canada

Coexistence of trademarks: Federal Court's decision reaffirms limited scope of consent agreements

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld the refusal to register EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD because it was confusing with the registered mark ROTHSCHILD - despite the fact that the applicant submitted a consent agreement with the owner of the cited mark.

01 May 2018

Trademark licensing in Canada: control is key

The upcoming amendments to the Trademarks Act may bring short-term uncertainty over ownership and licensing issues. One thing that is unlikely to change is the established principle of proving a licensor’s control over a mark.

01 May 2018

US government ranks Canada’s border enforcement on same level as China; Special 301 adds Saudi Arabia and UAE

The USTR has published the 2018 Special 301 Report, and Canada has been added to the Priority Watch List due to “a failure to resolve key longstanding deficiencies in protection and enforcement of IP”.

30 April 2018

Private practice perspectives on diversity: “We must push forward in the name of achieving greater equality”

Law firm professionals reflect on the theme of this year’s World IP Day, which highlights the ingenuity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world.

26 April 2018

WHOIS access charges, NGOs take aim at watch list plans and INTA applauds ‘Brand India’: news round-up

In our latest round-up, we look at a registry’s plans to charge trademark owners for access to WHOIS data and the war of words over plans for an IP markets watch list.

17 April 2018

Trademark trolls in Canada? Data reveals rise in “suspicious” applications are nearly all related to millionaire Gleissner

After recent reports of a steep rise in so-called “trademark trolls” in Canada, research suggests most are related to notorious trademark filer Michael Gleissner – leading to calls for the Canadian IP Office to “take action”.

12 April 2018

United States slides, Germany continues to rule: counsel rate court systems across the globe

Despite being key litigation battlegrounds, counsel confidence in the court systems of China and the United States remains shaky.

12 April 2018

Customs concerns: counsel identify significant room for improvement in India, Iran and Turkey

Trademark counsel have had their say on the efficiency of customs authorities across the globe – with some of the largest importers of counterfeit goods giving cause for continued concern.

11 April 2018

Trademark offices prepare for the future as users give poor performance grades

The performance levels of the Chinese, Brazilian and Indian trademark offices have clear room for improvement but change could be afoot.

06 April 2018

Procedures and strategies for pharmaceutical brands: Canada

Featured in Pharmaceutical Trademarks: A Global Guide 2018/2019

Sweeping amendments to the Trademarks Act are expected to be implemented in 2019. The amendments will fundamentally affect the way in which all trademark owners will need to approach their selection, clearance and registration strategies, and the pharmaceutical industry is no exception.

13 March 2018