On 1 May 2025, the first phase of reform of European design law entered into force. Regulation (EU) 2024/2822 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/73 together, as phase I, form part of a broader modernisation initiative (the so-called “Designs and Models
NRF Digital Team
German Federal Court refers ad blocker case back to Hamburg Higher Regional Court
By NRF Digital Team on
On 31 July 2025, the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) issued its decision (decision of 31 July 2025 – I ZR 131/23) in the long-running dispute between Axel Springer and Eyeo (Adblock Plus), referring the case back to…
German Federal Court of Justice decision in Sony v. Datel: Its implications for gaming, cheat tools and EU software copyright law
By NRF Digital Team on
Cheat software has long been a thorn in the side of game publishers. But does it also constitute a copyright infringement? In a landmark decision, issued on July 31, 2025, the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled that cheat…
Québec French Language Law Reform: Upcoming Changes for Businesses
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…
Federal Court of Canada Issues Default Judgment to Stop Online Infringement
By NRF Digital Team on
Default judgment can be an effective way to stop online infringement. The Federal Court’s decision in Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Limited v. AMUL Canada, 2021 FC 636 is the most recent example of the effectiveness of default…
Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal: Site-blocking Orders are Here to Stay
By NRF Digital Team on
The Federal Court of Appeal, in Teksavvy Solutions Inc. v. Bell Media Inc., 2021 FCA 100 (“Teksavvy”), affirmed an order compelling non-party Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to websites of the pirated television streaming…
Canada Consults on Online Copyright Reform
By NRF Digital Team on
On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, the Canadian government launched a consultation on “a Modern Copyright Framework for Online Intermediaries”, seeking comments from the public until May 31. The goal of this consultation is to “ensure that Canada’s copyright framework for…
NATIERRA: Presenting Fresh Evidence on Appeal
By NRF Digital Team & Caroline Henrie on
A recent decision of the Federal Court, Brandstorm, Inc. v Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd., 2021 FC 73, has confirmed that where “sufficiently substantial and significant” evidence is presented on review, the appeal of a decision of the Registrar of…
Breaking new ground(s)? McDonald’s opposes “McMortgage” citing depreciation of goodwill
For the first time ever, Canada’s Trademark Opposition Board (TMOB) has held that a ‘depreciation of goodwill’ claim can serve as a valid ground of opposition in trademark opposition proceedings. In doing so, the TMOB has arguably continued…
Stuff of folklore: the sale of Taylor Swift’s masters
By NRF Digital Team on
Scooter Braun and Ithaca Holding’s recent acquisition of the record label Big Machine Records and, most importantly, the master recordings of Taylor Swift’s first 6 albums is no love story. Indeed, Scooter Braun’s subsequent USD $300 million sale of these…