Author Archives: Dr. Dirk Franke

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016! Foto: © AlBakker, [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

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Federal Supreme Court Confirms Nivea Blue

Beiersdorf AG, manufacturer of Nivea, won a ruling from Germany’s Federal Supreme Court (BGH) that gives it a second chance to defend its trademark for the blue color on its Nivea products in a legal battle with Unilever NV (court case … Continue reading

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Filing a Trademark Application in Canada: Characteristics of the Canadian Trademark Law

The registration process of a trademark in Canada is in some ways extraodinary when compared to the registration practices in other countries. The most important characteristics of the Canadian trademark registration process are summarized below. 1. No Madrid Protocol Canada … Continue reading

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Greece: Implications of the Capital Controls and the Referendum for the Proprietors of IP Rights in Greece

On 28 June, the Greek Government imposed capital controls in the latest development in the country’s financial crisis. The capital controls will considerably restrict the flow of capital within the Greek banking sector and will be maintained at least until July … Continue reading

Posted in European Law, International Law, Patent Law | 1 Comment

Rubik’s Cube Confirmed as a 3D Trademark in Europe

Invented in the 1970s, the Rubik’s Cube fascinates people around the globe and is one of the world’s best-selling toys. While many fans found the magic cube a hard nut to crack, a German toy manufacturer has challenged the registered … Continue reading

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Morocco: Validation Agreement Enters into Force

The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced in a recent press release that the agreement on the validation of European patents between the EPO and Morocco will enter into force on March 1, 2015. With the recognition of the EPC, … Continue reading

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Interview: Incentives to Innovate

Interview with Dr. Dirk Franke. The following topics are covered: the future of the profession of a European patent attorney, patent litigation costs, trivial patents; how to find a qualified patent attorney, EU patent (unitary patent), changes in the European … Continue reading

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015! Foto: © Ashwin Chandrasekaran, [CC BY 2.0]

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OHIM: New Fake Invoices Resemble Official Communications

Applicants for European community trademarks (CTM applications) are currently receiving fake invoices from a British service provider called “OMIH – Trademarks and Designs Registration Office”. The fine print of the fake invoices mentions that the message is only an offer, … Continue reading

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New Common Trademark Practice: New Strategies Required for Filing Trademarks in Europe

Further to our recent article on the changes of the common practice of several European trademark offices (including the OHIM, GPTO, etc.) on the treatment of colored trademarks we will now explain how the decisions will in our opinion change … Continue reading

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