2nd Feb 2024
On 31 December 2020, the UK formally left the European Union (EU) single market and customs union – a process known informally as “Brexit”. Plant varieties which were protected by EU Community Plant Variety Rights (CPVRs) granted on or before that date were automatically afforded corresponding UK rights, called “Retained EU Plant Variety Rights” (aka UK plant variety right “Brexit clones”). The UK’s Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) advised that right holders wishing to keep their Retained EU Plant Variety Rights in force should, by 1 January 2024, provide details of a name and address of an agent in the UK together with a signed authorisation of agent form.
27th Jan 2023
TRADE MARK TPN 2/2023: UK Address for Service now required in inter partes proceedings
18th Aug 2021
Reminder to all with EU trade mark and design applications pending on 1 January 2021 that they can still file for a UK right and claim the earlier EUIPO filing date. Please be advised that you will need to act quickly as this service is only available until 30 September 2021.
8th Feb 2021
Just over one month into the “real Brexit” we have already seen two very high profile consequences of its impact on the pharmaceutical industry.Firstly, the UK’s medicine agency (the MHRA) approved the BioNTech/Pfizer and Oxford University/Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccines faster than the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Then, at the end of January, the European Commission threatened to prevent Covid-19 vaccines passing into Northern Ireland from Ireland. I am certainly not going to explore the potential political ramifications of this (swiftly withdrawn) threat of the EU Commission – twitter commentators have had their say on that – but I am interested in whether this unique situation on the island of Ireland could have future consequences for supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) in the UK and Europe.
5th Feb 2021
Concise guide to Brexit and intellectual property
5th Feb 2021
Brexit and intellectual property – a guide
5th Feb 2021
Brexit and intellectual property – FAQs in detail
1st Feb 2021
The UK has now left the EU, following a transition period that ended on 31 December 2020. In contrast to the position in a number of industries, the position in relation to IP rights has been relatively smooth. The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has created and entered into its database the comparable rights based on EU trade mark and design registrations which were all in place as of Exit Day. The Office is continuing to work on comparable rights created from EU designations filed via the Madrid or Hague systems and appears to be making good progress. The UKIPO should be commended for this, particularly in view of the current working conditions.