Trademarks

The long-awaited renovation of Malawian’s Trademark Legal Framework is a reality since the October 1st 2018, as the New Act No. 2 of 2018, published on February 2nd 2018, has finally entered into force. The new law replaces a Trademark Act from 1957, and it will consider several international instruments regarding trademark protection.

This is a very positive change, as it means that the country will improve its Intellectual Property practices, as well as it will also be able to comply with the international trademark system.

The Mozambique Industrial Property Code (IPC), which has been in force since 2016, provides six main IP rights that any entity may use to protect their distinctive signs in commerce.

The aim of this article is to analyze to what extent these six different rights are necessary and the effects they may produce on Mozambique’s IP system.

Article 1 of the IPC provides definitions of distinctive signs, including:

This year’s AIPLA Annual meeting was held in Washington. Numerous Intellectual Property - IP professionals from across the globe got together, to overview major issues concerning this business.

A wide range of topics, related with Trademarks, Copyright, Patent Licensing and Patent Litigation were on the agenda that also approached the concerns with Artificial Intelligence and Copyright.

Malawi has just formalized its adherence to the Madrid Protocol by depositing the country’s instrument of accession on the 25th September.

The 97th PTMG’s Autumn Conference took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The event focused on Trademark Protection in the Pharma Industry.

The international use of Nonproprietary Names (INN) was one of the issues that stood out at this event. The presentation of case studies was highlighted by the participants as a plus of this edition, that counted with our attendance.

The new Industrial Property Regulations were finally published in the Namibian Government Gazette on the 1st day of June, 2018 and the law came into effect two months after, on the 1st of August.

The Act means to repeal the Trade Marks in South West Africa Act, dated 1973, introducing new provisions for trademarks, patents and industrial designs.

The new legal frame has been long anticipated and concerns several changes in what relates Industrial Property.

It is important to state what a “pharmaceutical trademark” is. When I use the term, I do not intend to mean or create a new legal type of trademark. Nor do I refer directly to class 5 of the Nice Classification since it covers more than pharmaceutical products, such as “diapers for babies”. I use the term only for academic purposes, to identify trademarks where protection is given to drugs and medications and where the legal approach and solutions may be distinct from those of other products.

The gaming industry has grown exponentially over the last few years, having largely overcome the revenue generated by the cinema industry of Hollywood. The transition from a niche entertainment to a very lucrative business further dictates an increase of the risk and the proportional cautions that must be taken. In this sense, considering every factor that encompasses the gaming industry, the importance of all Intellectual Property rights should not be overstated and must be perceived as a priority when a new project is initiated.

The Moroccan Trademark Office (OMPIC) will now proceed to issue trademark registration certificates electronically, in a digital PDF format that will bear the official stamp of OMPIC. The certificate has the same legal value as the hard copy. This will be an important step as to modernize and simplify the procedure for trademark registration.

Is the CrossFit trademark "too big"?

This new dynamic that revolutionized indoor physical training, created in 2000 by Greg Glassman, consists in a physical training methodology focused on the development of general physical skills, from a dynamic and functional training. Through this new method, practitioners through WOD'S (work of the day) constantly challenge their physical and mental endurance.