Topics of discussion
In the first part of the Conference, the lectures of the numerous speakers following one another focused on the outline to identify a mark and a design, together with their relevant technical and legal protection. This is necessary not only to maintain their historical prestige, but also to develop their market appeal.
Later on, the discussion moved on to trade secrets and their strategic importance both for multinational corporations and for any other kind of business. In 2017, EU and US new regulations on this theme laid down protection systems’ laws to be implemented, in order to limit the spread of dangerous violations and set up a harmonization process among those businesses operating in increasingly intertwined markets.
The topic of online connectivity was examined in relation to the necessary protection tools carried out by ICANN to reassess the rules implemented by UDRP system in settling domain names disputes. The proposed changes could include the possibility to request damages already during the UDRP procedure and aim at leveling out the single IP local regulations.
Following EUIPO’s openness to unconventional trademarks, there was the chance to analyze the first results obtained with registrations granted in the EU for sound, motion, multimedia or hologram marks. Moreover, the Conference was the occasion to talk about the essential characteristics a sign should have to be registered as a trademark, otherwise it cannot obtain the registration, in accordance with the new regulation.
After an appropriate update about the IP rights state of the art in the EU following Brexit, the speeches in the end focused on the EU copyright law reform, which stands as a necessary guidance to the challenge just started between copyright and the increasingly urgent demands of the digital community (for further information on this topic please see our news).
Takeaway tips
Marques international conference was a fruitful opportunity, on one hand, to keep on talking about the challenges, faced by the trademark owners and their attorneys, to maintain old rights and get new and always innovative ones. On the other hand, it gave answers about the most leading-edge technical and legal tools to meet both market and regulatory needs.
