Search results for: design

European Union design reform to apply from April 2025

Reform of European Union (EU) design law will apply from 8 April 2025 with national law changes needing implementing in the following years.  As we reported previously, this puts in place various upd...

European Union design reforms adopted

Registered designs in the European Union, currently known as “Community designs”, are being reformed. The final reform package has been under discussion for some time and was approved on 10 Octobe...

Protecting intellectual property in garden design

Whether they serve a purely aesthetic purpose or solve a practical problem, design ideas are valuable and deserving of protection. This article provides a brief introduction to intellectual property (...

UK practice update for “multiple-component” design registrations

Possibly better referred to as “multi-item” designs, the UKIPO updated its guidance on 1 August 2024 on what is acceptable for design registrations directed to products that include multiple, sepa...

MBL Seminars: Registered Designs in the UK- Practical Implications of the M&S v Aldi Gin Bottle Case

M&S and Aldi have been sparring over in recent years with headline IP court cases. After settling the Colin v Cuthbert case, M&S and Aldi have gone toe to toe in another round. This resulted i...

Battle of the bottles: Court of Appeal rules on M&S v Aldi design infringement

‘Look-alike’ products have fast become a fact of life across many industries but perhaps none more so than the food and drink sector. Makers of own-brand goods are often adept at sailing close to ...

How to Enhance Your IP Strategy With Registered Designs

It is widely recognised that a robust IP strategy, tailored to a company’s needs, can be critical to business success. As such, many companies have developed sophisticated trade mark and patent port...

Plugging Gaps in Medical Device IP Protection With Registered Designs

Medical technology is a focal point for innovation in Europe, ranking second in the most common technical fields for European patent applications filed in 2022.[a] Despite this, when it comes to desig...

WIPO Looks to Agree New Design Law Treaty

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has announced that it will hold a diplomatic conference with the aim of agreeing a new Design Law Treaty (DLT) that should harmonize and streamline ...

Sustainable Food & Drink: Leveraging IP to Gain a Commercial Edge: Part One – Registered Trade Marks and Designs

Consumers are increasingly aware of how their use of food and drink products might be negatively impacting our planet which, in turn, puts pressure on companies to be sustainable.  At the same ti...