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Intellectual Property UK
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March 25, 2026
Historic Motorbike Brand Loses TM Despite Relaunch Bid
The owners of a trademark for a famed Spanish motorcycle brand have failed to prove Wednesday in a European court that the "OSSA" sign was actually used in recent years, marking an awkward start to a 2025 relaunch for the 100-year-old brand.
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March 25, 2026
UPC Warned Against Pushing More Cases Outside Germany
A leading litigator for one of the most prolific German law firms at the Unified Patent Court said Wednesday that calls to distribute cases more evenly across the UPC member states would limit litigant choice and may push some back to national courts.
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March 25, 2026
Music Biz Moves To Strike Out Record Label's Contract Claim
A music company has denied breaching an administration agreement with its former business partner, claiming that the rival had sent several invalid notices and had no right to terminate their broader licensing deal.
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March 25, 2026
Condé Nast Says Promoter Pushed Bogus Oscar Party Tickets
The owner of Condé Nast said that an events promoter infringed its trademarks by promoting "bogus" tickets to exclusive events such as the Vanity Fair Oscars party, its lawyers told the first day of a trial on Wednesday.
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March 25, 2026
Kawasaki Wins 'Slave Robot' Patent Tied To Wait Times
The owner of Kawasaki motorcycles has convinced European appellate officials to grant it a patent for a system that determines when multiple "slave robots" wake up to carry out commands because the method of prioritizing individual robots was new.
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March 25, 2026
Demand For EU Patents Exceeds 200K For First Time
The number of applications for patents passed 200,000 for the first time in 2025, driven by sustained growth in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, according to new data from the European Patent Office.
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March 24, 2026
Royalty-Free Music Label Hits Back At Promoters In £4M Row
A royalty-free music label has rejected claims that it was well aware of a business partner's growing debts, asserting that two music promoters had breached their licensing deals to the tune of £4.1 million ($5.5 million).
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March 24, 2026
Plan To Ax IP For AI Works Could Threaten Creative Industries
While the U.K. government made a splash with its decision to back away from a proposed copyright exception for data scraping, another proposal that flew under the radar could have major repercussions for companies considering using AI tools to write books, make music or create other traditionally copyright-protected work.
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March 24, 2026
Italian Banking Giant Loses IP Campaign Against Rival
European officials have dismissed a slew of attacks from Italian cooperative bank Cassa Centrale Banca against a rival's trademark applications for "BCC Gruppo Italia" and similar variations, ruling that there was no immediate ban on the registration of a country's name.
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March 24, 2026
Pharma Co. Wins Case For Vitamin D Pill At EPO
European officials have upheld EirGen Pharma's bid to patent a long-lasting formula designed to slowly release vitamin D to patients with chronic kidney disease, ruling the design was not obvious to scientists.
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March 24, 2026
Smith & Nephew Loses Wound-Monitoring Patent In EU
A European appeals panel has revoked Smith & Nephew's patent for a way of monitoring wounds with sensors, ruling in a decision released Tuesday that the company had unlawfully broadened the blueprint beyond its original filing.
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March 23, 2026
HP Wins Printer Cartridge Injunction In Netherlands
A Dutch court has ordered an online retailer to stop selling certain printer ink cartridges in the European Union after ruling in a decision released Monday that the business was infringing HP's intellectual property rights.
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March 23, 2026
Ferrero Flaunts Reputation To Block Rival's 'Nuvella' TM
Ferrero Group has persuaded European officials to block a Bulgarian cosmetic brand from registering the trademark "Nuvella," proving that it would unfairly ride the coattails of its popular Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread.
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March 23, 2026
Sky Unplugs Tech Co.'s Bid For "Callsky-kids" TM
Sky has blocked an attempt by a technology company to register the trademark "Callsky-kids" after European officials ruled that consumers are likely to see the name as a new product line by the British media network for children's entertainment.
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March 23, 2026
NEC Drops Video Decoder Patent Suit Against Hisense
Japanese electronics giant NEC has withdrawn its infringement claim at the Unified Patent Court for a video-streaming patent against Chinese appliance maker Hisense.
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March 23, 2026
Fresenius Challenges Patents To Launch IBD Drug Biosimilar
Fresenius has urged a London judge to revoke three patents of its rival Millennium covering a popular treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, arguing that its dosing regimen and ingredients were nothing new as it plans to launch a biosimilar version.
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March 23, 2026
Heineken Loses Battle To Block Rival's Drinking Penguin TM
Heineken has lost its attempt to void a trademark for a penguin drinking from a cocktail glass, failing to convince European Union officials that the public could mix up the sign with its own trademark for a penguin drinking booze.
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March 20, 2026
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
The past week in London has seen an ex-professional footballer revive a dispute with Charles Russell Speechlys, Virgin Media face a group data protection claim after hundreds of thousands of customers' personal details were exposed online for months, and Mishcon de Reya sued by a real estate private equity firm founded by a former Morgan Stanley executive.
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March 20, 2026
Amazon Fire TV Design Trumps IP Bid For Remote Control
British officials have rejected an entrepreneur's bid to register a design for a remote control, ruling that it shared one too many similarities with Amazon's existing remote for users navigating the e-commerce giant's Fire TV platform.
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March 20, 2026
Drugmaker Can't Extend IP Protections For Contraceptive
A London court has refused to grant a Spanish pharmaceutical business extended patent protections for its contraceptive drug, ruling Friday that a marketing authorization already existed for the drug.
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March 20, 2026
Beatles Label Blocks 'TimeBeatle' EU Trademark Bid
The Beatles' record label has blocked a "TimeBeatle" trademark application in the European Union, proving that the Chinese applicant had no ticket to ride on the coattails of the Fab Four's reputation.
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March 20, 2026
Darts Star Littler Seeks TM For Face In Possible Anti-AI Move
Darts ace Luke Littler has applied to protect his face with a trademark in the U.K., and lawyers suggested on Friday that the move could help block the exploitation of his likeness through artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.
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March 19, 2026
Nokia, Warner Bros. Seek To End Video-Coding Patent Suit
Nokia and Warner Bros. on Thursday agreed to end a legal fight in Delaware federal court after the Hollywood studio earlier this month lost its bid to toss claims that it infringed a set of the Finnish company's video-coding patents.
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March 19, 2026
Gov't Creates More Questions With Latest Take On AI And IP
Tech companies and creatives alike have more doubt than ever about the legal framework for artificial intelligence and copyright, following a much-anticipated report on the topic from the government that kicks pressing issues down the road, experts say.
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March 19, 2026
Critical Literary Editions Can Qualify For Copyright Protection
A European court ruled Thursday that a critical edition containing scholarly notes and commentary on an existing copyrighted work can also qualify for protection under European Union law if it is original and more than just a mere idea.
Expert Analysis
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Winter Olympics Put The Spotlight On IP Issues
This year's Winter Olympics generated a handful of intellectual property controversies that highlight the key considerations that should be kept in mind when using creative works at sporting events, says attorneys at Squire Patton.
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How EU Reforms May Affect Copyright, AI Balance
The European Parliament’s recently proposed resolution calling on the European Commission to address the intersection between copyright and generative artificial intelligence will have implications for companies developing technology, whose compliance costs will soar, and rights holders, for whom great opportunities may lie ahead, says Pasquale Tammaro at BonelliErede.
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EU Foreign Subsidies Guide Brings Clarity And Questions
The European Commission’s long-awaited EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation guidelines provide helpful clarifications for companies, but with many areas remaining broadly framed, uncertainty may continue to deter investments and increase the compliance burden on organizations, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
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USPTO Initiatives May Bolster SEP Litigation In The US
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent efforts to revitalize standard-essential patent litigation face hurdles in their reliance on courts and other agencies, but may help the U.S. regain its central role in global SEP litigation if successful, say attorneys at Axinn.
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How To Navigate AI M&A Risks, Compliance In Europe
As the artificial intelligence industry continues to witness substantial M&A transactions in Europe, parties should be mindful of the unique challenges posed by the acquisition of intangible AI technologies, monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, and establish optimal mechanisms for risk allocation, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.
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Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails
The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
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Navigating Legal Privilege Issues When Using AI
The recent explosion in artificial intelligence has led to prompts and AI outputs that may be susceptible to disclosure in proceedings, and it is important to apply familiar principles to assess whether legal privilege may apply to these interactions, say lawyers at HSF.
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UK Getty Ruling Tests Balance Of IP Rights And AI Industry
The recent Getty Images v. Stability AI High Court decision, rejecting copyright claims while upholding limited trademark infringement, will influence the creative community and U.K. artificial intelligence industry alike, and the training of AI models in the U.K. is still a risk, say lawyers at Powell Gilbert.
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Role Of UK Investment Act Is Evolving In M&A Deals
With merger and acquisition activity likely to increase in light of the government’s new defense industrial strategy, the role of the National Security and Investment Act will come into sharper focus, and its recent annual report confirms that scrutiny is intensifying, say lawyers at Kingsley Napley.
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Growth, Harmonization In Focus As Hague System Turns 100
One hundred years after its establishment, the Hague System has grown into an important pillar of international design protection, offering a promising path toward even greater harmonization in design law as its geographic reach continues to expand, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.
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EPO Referral May Shift Patent Description Amendment Rules
The European Patent Office’s recent referral G 1/25 to the Enlarged Board of Appeal seeks to offer clarification on inconsistencies concerning requirements for description amendments, which could bring a change in direction for the EPO that potentially harmonizes its prosecution process with those of other countries, say lawyers at Finnegan.
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What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases
Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.
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EU Act Establishes Data Sharing Rules, But Hurdles Remain
The recently effective European Union Data Act provisions establish harmonized rules to unlock the use of data generated by technology-embedded software, but leave practical challenges that organizations will need to navigate to comply with cross-border requirements, say lawyers at King & Spalding.
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5 Ways To Address The Legal Risks Of Employee AI Use
Employees’ use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools has become a regulatory issue, and in-house legal counsel are best placed to close the gap between governance controls and innovation, mitigating the risk of organizations' exposure to noncompliance with European Union and U.K. data protection requirements, say lawyers at MoFo.
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EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.
The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.