Around the IP Blogs

An angry cat

The German Bundestag has approved draft legislation to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement and this news hit the IP Blogosphere. ManagingIP, the European IP Helpdesk, the HGF blog, and the Juve Patent Blog each shared their opinion regarding the future of the UPC, including threats of new constitutional complaints, which might stop the project altogether. 

The SpicyIP Blog featured an extensive overview of patent-related issues regarding the three most advanced vaccines against COVID. The blog considered questions such as the impact of patent finding on the allocation of patent rights, and mechanisms put in place to facilitate the access to vaccines in developing countries. 

The Fashion Law Blog looked into how luxury brands are expanding the scope of their trade marks to also cover face masks. An Inevitable part of the COVID-19 reality, masks are now branded with fashion ornaments. Not surprisingly, the right holders are having to contend with a yet another category of counterfeit goods. 

If you still have not gotten into the Christmas mood (and exploring legal topics outside of IP as part of your New Year’s resolutions-to-be), check the D-Kart’s antitrust advent calendar for 2020. Each day, a different competition law expert is interviewed on the most significant competition law case or law development in his or her jurisdiction. 

Our cousin blog, the IPTango, shared the news that the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) has launched English and Spanish versions of its website. This redesign is part of the INPI’s expansion of the international scope of its services.