Following a well-publicized debate, on May 24, 2022, the National Assembly of Québec finally passed the Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec (Bill 96), a major reform of the 1977 Charter of the French
2022
Overview of IP Law In Canada – The Intellectual Property Review
The recently published Eleventh Edition of the Intellectual Property Review (the Review) includes a Canadian chapter. Readers are invited to learn more on the various forms of IP protection available in Canada, and highlights of important changes in…
Authorization of certain IP-related transactions in Russia
The ink was not even dry on the update regarding Russia-related IP issues that we published last week, when we learned of two more major developments.
The USPTO recently issued the following statement on engagement with Russia, the Eurasian Patent…
Key current considerations in handling IP rights in Russia
February 24, 2022, Russian troops poured over the border into Ukraine, unleashing unimaginable human suffering and widespread destruction of property. Russia’s aggression also ignited negative consequences in the international economy that continue to increase and cascade throughout all sectors and…
Russia enables free use of Russian patents and other intellectual property of rights holders in countries committing “unfriendly acts”
On 7 March 2022 a decree of the Russian government took effect, announcing that compensation need not be paid for the unauthorised use of Russian patents, utility models and designs to rights holders connected with foreign countries committing “unfriendly acts”…
Design protection in China and abroad with a single filing
Design patents, sometimes referred to as industrial designs, protect the aesthetic appearance of a product. As with other registered IP rights, the protection offered is, generally speaking, territorial in scope. In other words, unless international or regional treaties are available,…
Trade mark ownership: As easy as A-B-C?
Trade mark ownership is an important consideration for any business. Ensuring that a business holds all rights to enable it to make full use of its trade mark should be front of mind in any branding consideration. Unfortunately however, while…
Copyright Review Board – non-human authors not allowed
On February 14, 2022, the Review Board of the United States Copyright Office (the “Board”) refused copyright registration (for the second time) of a two-dimensional artwork entitled “A Recent Entrance to Paradise.” Although the work was an original work fixed in a tangible medium of expression, the Board found that it could not be registered due to a lack of human authorship.
Lundbeck v Sandoz – High Court decision
1. Introduction
The High Court has delivered the latest instalment in Lundbeck and Sandoz’s lengthy saga concerning escitalopram. The particular circumstances giving rise to this dispute are unique, however, the High Court’s approach to interpreting a patent licence granted by…
Please, sir, I want some more: Orphan works and other copyright law reforms
Late last year, the Australian government released the long-awaited Exposure Draft of the Copyright Amendment (Access Reform) Bill 2021 (Cth) (Bill). The Bill is designed to implement aspects of the Government’s response to the Productivity Commission’s 2016 Inquiry…