According to the EU General Court (“EUGC”) ruling issued on 14 May 2013 in joined cases T-321/11 and T-322/11, the mere registration of a domain name should not ground an opposition against the subsequent application for an identical Community trademark, in case the domain name is not “used in the course of trade”.

On 18 April the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) issued its preliminary ruling in case C-12/12 regarding the genuine use of a trademark corresponding to the well-known red label put on the rear pocket of Levi’s trousers.

A much debated issue in Italian IP litigation is whether a “late reaction” against alleged infringements by the right-holder should affect his chances of obtaining an urgent interlocutory relief. Precedents suggest that the right-holder will be affected. However, a recent patent infringement case decision by the Turin IP Court (Feb. 21, 2013, case 4B – F. B. vs K. and al.), confronting that issue, takes a different view.

Nominations were made by clients, and the prizes were awarded based on their comments only. The full list of winners is available at www.internationallawoffice.com/digitaled/CCGINT/2013/edition.htm.

As a consequence of those enforcement activities, all the involved infringers – eight of which are based in Asia, one in Italy and one in the UK – formally undertook to withdraw the counterfeiting products from the market and to cease any further commercialisation of them in the future.

Please see here: http://vimeo.com/55922546