Editorial Staff
Protection of Hashtag Trademarks - #cautionwithtrademarks
It is an undisputed fact that the social media platforms have become indispensable marketing medium for brand owners. Especially after hashtag emerged as an online marketing tool, interest in registering hashtag trademarks has gone up. Recent research by Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson…
What’s in a Shape – Protection of a Shape as a Design v. Trademark
One of the significant judgements from the recent time is the order of the Delhi High Court in the popular Crocs case. In an order dated March 6, 2019, the Court rejected the maintainability of a suit for passing off, in the case of a registered design. It is important to note here that the…
Amendments to the Canadian Trademark Law - A Glimpse
Canada has announced that the anticipated changes to the Trademarks Act will finally be coming into force on June 17, 2019. The changes are expected to simplify the domestic registration process and provide access to e international registration process administered by the World Intellectual…
Statutory Licenses And Internet Broadcasting
In a recent judgement, the Bombay High Court had clarified an issue of copyright law that is likely to have an immediate impact on the rise in popularity of music streaming services. Justice Kathawalla, in his order in Tips Industries Ltd. vs. Wynk Music Ltd. & Anr., had categorically rejected…
Cadbury and Purple - to be or not to be?
When we speak "chocolates," Cadbury's is the first which springs in our mind. We know that the world-renowned confectionery brand Cadbury has been using the colour Purple to wrap its indiscriminately loved chocolates since 1905. Cadbury battled hard to protect the same. However, after decades-long…
Pakistan IP Office announces increase in the Official Fee for filing & prosecution of Trademarks
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Pakistan has announced that there will be an amendment to the official fee for all the procedures related to Trademarks by amending the Trademarks Rules, 2014. The amendment for the official fee was notified vide an Official notice dated March 04, 2019 and…
India approves the proposal for accession to The Nice Agreement, The Vienna Agreement & The Locarno Agreement
The Government of India has approved the proposal for the accession of India to The Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of registration of marks, The Vienna Agreement establishing an International Classification of the figurative…
Significant changes brought about by the Indian Patent Amendment Rules, 2019
The following are the significant changes which were brought about by the Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2019. Procedure for Filing International Applications Expedited Examination of Patent Application Proviso included during the case of non-compliance of requirements under expedited examination [Rule…
Guide on trademark registration, renewal and trademark opposition in Qatar
Number 9 of 2002 on Trademarks, Trade Names, Geographical Indications and Industrial Designs governs the procedure for application and registration of a trademark in Qatar. Marks that can be registered as a trademark in Qatar: All distinctive and graphically representable signs, such as words,…
Understanding Domain Name Disputes and Dispute Resolution Mechanism
Introduction on Domain name As per Blacklaw’s dictionary Domain Name refers to the words and characters that website owners designate for their registered internet addresses. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the internet’s global domain name system. A domain…