Prosecution

Trademarks are signs that identify the commercial origin of certain goods and services and distinguish them from those of other companies. However, while this simple sentence explains their intended function, identifying a trademark isn't as straightforward.

Words and symbols are the first types of trademarks that we can imagine. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Trademarks can be found in colours, sounds, shapes and even patterns. This is not an exhaustive exemplification.

Mainly, a trademark must be distinctive.

On February 8, Sofitel Brussels Europe hosted the INTA's "Stakeholder Dialogue: Brands in a Sustainable World" providing a platform to discuss the role of brands in driving positive environmental and social change. Topics included the sustainable destruction and recycling of counterfeit products and incorporating sustainable values into brand identity.

The World Trademark Review (WTR) has announced the WTR 1000 - The World's Leading Trademark Professionals for 2024, recognizing top trademark firms and individuals worldwide.

Inventa has once again been recognized as one of the leading trademark firms in Portugal and Nigeria, with WTR highlighting our expertise in prosecution and strategic IP protection. 

Portugal

Nestled in the heart of Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a vast and diverse country that commands attention both for its geographical expanse and its significant influence on the African continent.

Bordered by nine neighbouring nations, the DRC's geographical coordinates place it at a crossroads of African cultures and histories.

To the north, it shares borders with South Sudan and the Central African Republic, while to the east, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania create a complex mosaic of regional interactions.

When exporting a product, it is advisable to have Intellectual Property (IP) related to that product in the market of destiny. In addition to providing rights to explore the asset (trademark or a design, for example) in exclusivity, having IP in the market where the goods are exported lowers the probability of facing customs obstacles. This is what several Chinese companies and individuals do every year in the European Union (EU), filing trademark (EUTM) and design (RCD) applications.

Using the Algeria boycott of Spanish goods as a case study, Vera Albino and Inês Monteiro Alves reflect on the nuanced interaction between political dynamics and intellectual property protection, exploring how challenging bilateral relations between nations or perceived inefficiencies in the judicial system can contribute to hesitancy among investors and affect both investment and IP protection.

According to recent information on the Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) website, the 2024 edition of the SME Fund is scheduled to be launched on January 22nd.

In issue 6 of "Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte" from 2023, Anna Shcherbyna and Vítor Moreira present a thorough and insightful examination of the development of Ukraine's patent system, offering insights into the historical context, emphasizing the crucial role played by the system in safeguarding the scientific and technologic

The landscape of the video game industry has undergone unprecedented growth in Europe, asserting itself as a dominant force in the entertainment market, with €24.5 billion ($26.8 billion) spent on video games in 2022 and more than 100,000 workers in ten EU markets.

The Doha Round represents the latest series of trade negotiations among WTO members, officially launched at the WTO's Fourth Ministerial Conference in Qatar in 2001. Its goal is to substantially reform the global trade system by reducing trade barriers and revising rules across approximately 20 trade-related areas, including intellectual property matters such as rights protection, affordable access to medicines, flexibility within the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, the promotion of technology transfer, and more.