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A recent report from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) says that the number of patent and trade mark applications around the globe reached a new record in 2014. Patent applications increased by 4.5% from the previous year, while trade mark applications rose by 6% over the same period. Top Jurisdictions According to the report, the largest number of applications was filed in China, which saw over 900,000 patent applications alone over the year – an increase of 12.5%. The…
The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) has handed out a fine of £500,000 to an agency that has been contacting trade mark owners, and leading them to believe that it was the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The agency, which called itself ‘The Intellectual Property Agency’, was found guilty of passing off and of trade mark infringement. The fine is the maximum that can be handed out by the IPEC. Overcharging Trade Mark Owners The scam involved contacting trade mark…
As consumer appetite grows for craft beers, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has seen an increase of 12% in the number of beer-related trade marks registered in 2014 compared to 2013. There is expected to be an even bigger increase this year. A Sign that Business is Good for Breweries? A rise in trade mark applications is usually a sign that business in that sector is doing well, with plenty of room for new products and brands and a…
Figures published by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) show that it received nearly 55000 trade mark applications in 2014; an increase of more than 8% on 2013, and of almost 25% since 2012. The Top Applicants The following companies were the top ten filers of trade mark applications in the UK in 2014:- Glaxo Group (UK) British American Tobacco (US) BVIPR (UK) Aldi Stores (UK) Unilever (UK) British American Tobacco (UK) Asda Stores (UK) Akzo Nobel Coatings International BV…
Ball & Young, a company based in Corby, Northamptonshire, applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to register the trade mark ‘Cloud 9 Caviar and Champagne Collection’ for flooring products. The application was refused after an objection from the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), which is the trade body representing Champagne producers. When is ‘Champagne’ a Trade Mark? An opposition hearing was held at the IPO, during which Ball & Young argued that the word ‘Champagne’…
A letter from US-based computer chip giant Intel has forced a small business in the UK to re-brand and spend over £15,000 changing signage and other material. The challenge came after Intel became aware of Intell Windows, based in Sandwich, Kent, which supplies windows, doors and conservatories to homes in the local area. Name Changed to Intelligent Windows The letter was received by the company at the start of this year. Intel asked that Intell Windows change its name in…
World-famous physicist, Professor Stephen Hawking, has applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office for trade mark protection for his name. Professor Hawking is Director of Research at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Theoretical Cosmology, but the application has been filed in his own name. Trade Mark for Goods, Services and Charitable Fundraising Like all trade mark applicants, Professor Hawking has specified the type of goods and services which he would like the trade mark to cover. These include scientific…
The UK government has passed legislation enforcing the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. The plain packaging requirement will come into force in May 2016 after the House of Lords followed the Commons and backed the measure. From May next year, in addition to the health warning, the packaging of cigarette and hand-rolling tobacco must be a uniform brown colour and include only a brand name in a standard size grey typeface. Opposition and the Implications for…
An index compiled by the US Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property (IP) Center has place the UK at number one for IP enforcement. This result is a reflection of the UK’s strong IP legislation which, in the report, is ranked as second only to the USA’s own laws. The report, which considers a variety of factors in both legislation and enforcement, considered the UK system to be robust, although with areas for improvement, which include software piracy – the…
Supermarket chain Tesco has been refused a trade mark registration for the word Clubcard. Tesco applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) in January 2011, for a trade mark registration for Clubcard as the name of its customer loyalty scheme. The application was refused in December 2013, on the grounds that the word was “devoid of any distinctive character” and was “commonly used by third parties”. Tesco lodged an appeal and which has now been rejected. Trade Mark or…