ACTA will not change scope of IP protection, MEP claims

A controversial international treaty relating to the enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights does not alter the scope of protection around those rights, an MEP has said. 03 Feb 2012

EU Commission will clarify website notice and takedown procedures

The European Commission will clarify the procedures for taking down and blocking access to illegal content after complaints that the rules were unclear and resulted in illegal content staying online for too long, it has said. 12 Jan 2012

Out-Law Guides

  • Detention of counterfeit goods at UK borders

    This guide was written in October 2009. It is based on UK laws. Rights holders can get help from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to stop counterfeit goods entering the UK. But under a new procedure...

  • Trade mark opposition procedures

    This guide is based on UK law. It was last updated in May 2009. Most trade mark filing application systems across the globe incorporate some form of opposition procedure, so that third parties can...

  • The Company Names Adjudicator

    This guide is based on UK law. It was last updated in October 2008. The Companies Act 2006 has introduced the role of the ‘Company Names Adjudicator’ which is a new weapon for trade mark owners. Th...

  • Registering a trade mark through the Madrid Protocol

    This guide is based on UK law. It was last updated in November 2008. Applications must be based on a national application or registration in a member state of the Madrid Protocol. Applications are...

  • Registering a trade mark in the UK

    This guide is based on UK law. It was last updated in September 2008. Applications are filed at the UK Trade Marks Registry which is a part of the UK Intellectual Property Office , an executive...

  • Registering a trade mark in the EU

    This guide was last updated in April 2009. It is based on a law that applies across the European Union called the Community Trade Mark Regulation. Applications are filed at the Community Trade Mark...

More guides

ICANN opens application process for new 'top-level' domains

Technology The organisation that oversees the addressing system for websites will consider applications for new domains submitted from today. 12 Jan 2012

Domain registrar not liable for cybersquatting, US court rules

Technology A domain name registrar was not liable for a form of trade mark infringement when a system it operates was used to redirect visitors from allegedly 'cybersquatting' web domain names to a pornographic website, a US court has ruled. 10 Jan 2012

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