Organisation: EUIPO

Blow for Google as General Court confirms likelihood of confusion between GPAY and EPAY

The court dismissed Google’s argument that the initial letter ‘G’ in its GPAY mark played a significant distinctive – and potentially dominant – role in that mark.

01 July 2024

Don’t let digital barriers block access to IP: why registries must prioritise web accessibility

Digital barriers must be overcome or they risk alienating users from the IP ecosystem, warns this week's Saturday opinion column.

29 June 2024

WIPO tops ranking of world’s most accessible IP office websites, but overall momentum to assist users slows

Exclusive WTR research reveals the national IP offices with the most (and least) accessible websites for users, with WIPO leading the way.

28 June 2024

Battle between Nike and Puma over FOOTWARE: General Court issues its decision

The court has confirmed that FOOTWARE refers to the ‘intended purpose’ of the relevant goods and services, which is a characteristic expressly listed in Article 7(1)(c).

28 June 2024

Blow for Société du Tour de France in TOUR DE X opposition

In a “particularly severe” decision, the General Court confirmed that there was no likelihood of confusion between TOUR DE X and the earlier TOUR DE FRANCE marks.

27 June 2024

General Court: Board of Appeal erred in assessing distinctiveness of ULTRA for beer

In this dispute between competing breweries Anheuser-Busch and Amstel, the court found that ‘ultra’ was a generic, laudatory term which was incapable of differentiating the commercial origin of the goods.

26 June 2024

Register Tracker Europe and North America: January-April 2024

Featured in Trademark register tracker

WTR analyses trademark filing trends at major North American and European registers.

25 June 2024

Morality v freedom of expression: the COVIDIOT decision

This decision of the EUIPO’s Grand Board may be seen as a ‘high-water mark’ in applying the Article 7 absolute grounds for refusal.

25 June 2024

EUIPO considers genuine use of 3D bottle shape mark

When assessing the evidence of genuine use, individual pieces of evidence should not be analysed in isolation, but together, in order to identify their most likely and coherent significance.

24 June 2024

Evolving online route-to-market strategies and how to combat them

Featured in Anti-counterfeiting and Online Brand Enforcement: Global Guide 2024

Digital markets offer an increasing number of distribution channels, of which bad actors can take advantage. Counterfeiters are constantly adapting to the e-commerce landscape, which presents difficulties for IP rights holders and enforcers, necessitating a more targeted approach to combat product piracy online.

24 June 2024