Region: Russian Federation

Peppa Pig hits headlines as Russian court links IP dispute decision to sanctions

This weekend, media outlets seized on the news that an arbitration court in Kirov, Russia, had dismissed a case brought by Entertainment One claiming infringement of its trademarks and copyright in the popular children’s cartoon Peppa Pig.

14 March 2022

Russian government considers suspending IP rights of foreign companies

The Russian government has announced that it is considering “lifting restrictions on the use of intellectual property contained in certain goods” that cannot be imported due to sanctions.

07 March 2022

“Every little bit of help from brands is useful” – Ukrainian MP urges companies to take action

In an exclusive interview with WTR, Ukrainian MP Sviatoslav Yurash has called on international organisations to speak up about the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.

02 March 2022

Change of leadership at Rospatent: what are the implications?

The Russian IP office has seen changes at the top of the organisation, with the former head moving to the Eurasian Patent Office.

22 February 2022

Intellectual Property Court considers protection afforded to unregistered marks and limits of letters of consent

In a landmark decision, the Intellectual Property Court has held that an absolute ground for refusal cannot be remedied by a letter of consent if a likelihood of confusion still exists.

08 February 2022

Russia to join Geneva Act of Lisbon Agreement, further integrating into global IP system

The move is expected to have significant protection benefits for local and international brands.

14 January 2022

How the Constitutional Court has tried to shine light on parallel imports and exhaustion

Resolution 8-P tackles the thorny issue of parallel imports and attempts to provide guidance on why they should not be treated in the same way as counterfeit products.

09 December 2021

How Russian courts handle trademark exhaustion

The exhaustion of trademark rights is a murky area. While courts have issued diverse rulings on this subject based on nuances in particular cases, a closer examination of some of these does provide some guidance.

02 December 2021

Case law precedents offer useful guidance for trademark disputes

In Russian trademark law, the first-to-file principle officially gives priority to a mark that has been registered over one that has been used, however, in practice prior use can win out. A closer examination of past cases offers some clarity.

25 November 2021

First to file and first to use – navigating Russia’s blended system

While Russia takes a first-to-file approach to trademark registration, certain elements of how this is applied and enforced have more in common with a first-to-use approach. A nuanced understanding of Russia’s system is crucial if trademark owners are to make best use of their rights.

18 November 2021