Region: Switzerland

Many brands include a term or a logo that relates to a geographical place. In Switzerland many applications to register these as trademarks are unsuccessful as there are strict examination rules in accordance with Articles 2(a) and 2(c) of the Trademark Protection Act. However, these have relaxed a little in the last few years.

27 February 2020

We speak to Colombia's candidate for the WIPO director general position, Marco M Alemán, who explains how his expertise and intimate understanding of WIPO’s inherently multilateral ethos make him the ideal candidate for the job.

18 February 2020

Last week, behind closed doors, interviews took place with the eight candidates for the WIPO director general position. In this exclusive guest post, Dr Sarasija Padmanabhan provides observations from diplomatic sources that attended.

13 February 2020

The WIPO director general election has become mired in backroom manoeuvring, with one IP expert urging the various countries to “focus on who is the right person for the job”, rather than political point scoring.

05 February 2020

In a landmark decision, the Commercial Court of Argovia has held that the website at ‘easybet.com’ infringed the famous EASYJET trademark and ordered the Swiss hosting provider to take down the website.

28 January 2020

In a blow to German supermarket chain Lidl, the Swiss Federal Administrative Court has confirmed that the figurative mark ESMARA SEE YOU IN PARIS was deceptive.

11 December 2019

Featured in Designs: A Global Guide 2020

14 November 2019

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court has recently considered a trademark and unfair competition dispute between two companies that owned trademarks containing the element ‘OTTO’.

26 September 2019

The Swiss Federal Administrative Court has upheld a decision of the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property refusing to register the trademark MERCI (‘thank you’ in French) for services in Classes 35, 38, 40 and 42.

21 August 2019

WIPO has revealed the world’s most innovative countries. In a new report it places Switzerland, Sweden and the United States at the top of the list, with the Netherlands, Singapore and the United Kingdom falling down the rankings.

24 July 2019