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We periodically update our News page, posting important notices related to our company and relevant developments in the countries we work in, concerning Intellectual Property and other areas of practice. Please click on the topics below to read the corresponding news.
The European Patent Office (EPO), has revealed its most recent statistics regarding new patent applications filed in 2011: about 243 000 European Patent Applications were filed last year. This is a new record, and a 3% increase comparing to the filings in 2010.
62% of the applications came from non-European countries and the biggest contributor to this increase was China with over 16.000 EP applications (about 4.400 more than in 2010).
USA, Japan and Germany remain the top...
WIPO has launched its latest World Intellectual Property Report 2011, which subject is "The Changing Face of Innovation".
Among other issues, it describes key trends in the innovation landscape - including the increasingly open, international and collaborative character of the innovation process; the causes of the increased demand for IP rights; and the rising importance of technology markets.
Against this background, the Report explores the ways in which economists' views of...
On January 1, 2012, the 10th edition of the Nice Classification will enter into force.
The ninth and current edition entered into force on January 1, 2007. The Nice classification is continuously revised by WIPO and a new edition is published every five years. Accordingly, the 10th edition of the classification will be due on January 1, 2012.
There are significant changes to the classification on...
As you may be aware, the Angolan IP Office (IAPI) has been calculating renewal dates of PCT national phases in Angola from the local application date. This was a major concern for most of our clients, since the Treaty says that renewals should fall on the international application date.
We have been in touch with IAPI regarding this issue and we hereby inform that the Office is finally changing this position and will be using the PCT international application date for all further...
We are pleased to announce that the first bulletin from the new IP Office of Cape Verde was just released.
This is the first big step for the new IP Office (IPICV – Instituto da Propriedade Intelectual de Cabo Verde), which will soon be installed as a separate Office from the ministry of commerce and industry, and focused only on Trademark, Patent and Author’s Rights registrations.
This new bulletin comprises the publication of the first 1.200 trademark applications that were...
WIPO has recently published a compilation of Global Statistics with an overview of intellectual property activity from 2005 to 2009. WIPO IP Facts and Figures 2011, covers patents, utility models, trademarks and industrial designs and serves as a quick reference guide for IP statistics gathered from 90 IP offices around the world.
It shows that trademark applications - over 3 million filed per year since 2005 - is the most requested form of IP globally, however, between 20 to 35...
The new Trademark Law of Montenegro entered into force on 16 December 2010 and, until then, Serbian trademarks registered prior to 28 May 2008 remained valid in Montenegro until the next renewal date.
However, according to the new IP law just released, Serbian trade marks registered prior to 28 May 2008 need to be revalidated in Montenegro in order to keep in force, until 16 December 2011.
For this purpose, it is necessary to have a certificate of validity...
Launched by the EPO in 2006, the European Inventor Award gives inventors the recognition they deserve. It helps to protect ideas and encourage innovation, and it is an incentive for other potential inventors.
Inventors entered for the award must have been granted at least one valid European patent for their invention by the European Patent Office
The nomination period for the seventh edition of the European Inventor Award is open until 6 October 2011, for the following...
The World Customs Organization released its annual report regarding activities carried out by customs authorities for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights. This report can be found not only a comprehensive analysis of seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods during 2010, but also a regional and sectoral analysis, allowing to understand which key trends, origins and destinations of such products.
Acording to the report:
- China and India are the countries with more...
Since the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved last year (forming two new countries, Curaçao and Sint Maarten), the previous trademark registrations are no longer valid.
Regarding Curaçao and Sint Maarten, on October 10, 2010, former Netherlands Antilles registrations were converted into two separate registrations which will be due for renewal on their original Netherlands Antilles expiry date.
However, regarding the other islands formerly comprising Netherlands Antilles, the...
