UK spring weather isn’t the only thing that’s been crazy lately. IP news has gone to the next level; Putin, vaccines, Ed Sheeran and Dublin IP & R&D Summit 2.0 (DIPS 2.0) – it’s been an eventful few months internationally.
Your next chance for an IRL IP Update is London IP Week 5.0, hosted at etc venues St Pauls 20-21September! Keep ahead of the crowd and get your ticket today:
In the meanwhile, keep your eyes entertained with Cosmonauts’ Let’s Talk IP blog series!
Ready for a whistle-stop tour of the latest in IP news? We’ve scouted 5 of the hottest topics from around the world so you don’t have to!
Ed Sheeran Wins ‘Shape of You’ Copyright Dispute
Source: billboard
Ed Sheeran’s lengthy copyright battle finally came to a conclusion on April 6th, with the judge ruling that his famous ‘Shape of You’ was not the fruit of plagiarism.
It was claimed that the ‘hook’ of Sheeran’s bop was “strikingly similar” to a part of Chokri and O’Donogohue’s song. Sheeran clarified that he did not recall ever hearing the song and, therefore, could not have copied it.
This and other high-profile copyright infringement cases have challenged current copyright laws for greater clarity over what a ‘breach’ constitutes.
You can find more on the discussion here.
Russia Waives Compensation to Patent Owners from “unfriendly countries”
Source: theguardian
Russia has taken an extra step to use IP rights as a part of its war tactics. In early March, the Russian government declared that Russian companies did not need to compensate patent owners from “unfriendly” countries. Included are western countries who have placed sanctions on Russia such as the US and UK.
This lack of patent law has led to the rise of Russian Instagram, ‘Rossgram’ and other social networks aimed to replace services that have been blocked by the government.
You can read more on what this means for Russia here.
Further Push for Vaccine Patent Waivers
Source: pixabay.com
In October 2020, India, and South Africa appealed to the WTO to waive IP rights on Covid-19 vaccines for three years. This would allow more countries to develop their own vaccines. China, the US and 100 other countries have long been sympathetic to the proposal. However, EU states, the UK, and pharmaceutical companies have been less enthusiastic, arguing that IP rights have played a “positive role” in creating innovative vaccines.
Although the EU has since warmed up to the idea, campaigners argue that the organisation needs to go further in embracing a temporary waiver.
You can read more about this ongoing debate here.
Spotify Wins Trademark Dispute over ‘Potify’
Source: pexels.com
The music streaming service Spotify won a trademark dispute over the name of an app called ‘Potify’ – providing a service for medical Marijiuana. Spotify asserted that the similarity in its name diluted their brand image.
Unsuccessfully, Potify argued that their ‘Potify’ name came from the unassociated marriage of ‘pot’ and the suffix ‘-ify’, meaning and indicating that marijuana can ‘be found’.
You can find more on the ruling here.
Women in IP
Source: University of London
International Women’s Day saw a rise in the initiative to spread gender equality in IP with multiple organisations around the world pledging to support women. Such organisations included the UK’s IPO, the USPTO, the Philippines’s IPO, and many other offices who celebrated the invaluable role of women in creating an environment promoting innovation and diversity of thought.
You can read the joint statement from multiple IP offices here.
Missing DIPS 2.0? Left wanting more after this month’s IP update?
London IP Week is under 6 months away, so stay organised and book your tickets now – with a 20% discount if you subscribe to our website! Then you can relax whilst you read your monthly ‘Let’s Talk IP’ updates.
London IP Week is taking place from 20th – 21st September 2022 at etc.venues St Paul’s! Join Cosmonauts alongside IP Managers, In-House Legals, CEOs, Founders and Managing directors, and other IP experts from the world of IP for a two day interactive IP summit, offering plenty of networking opportunities and discussions on the most contemporary topics in the world of IP.
Interested? Check out our Cosmonauts’ Blog Page and London IP Week website to find out more about our different speakers, sponsors and related news:
Can’t wait until the conference or for your next IP update? Check out our previous instalments in our ‘Let’s Talk IP’ series if you haven’t already! Otherwise, stay tuned for more information on the latest news and trends in IP.
Categorised in: IP