Brexit Update
Brexit
January 2019
On 15 January 2019, the UK’s House of Commons voted to reject a provisional agreement between the UK and EU which was intended to govern the manner and timing of the UK’s departure from the EU (which is currently scheduled to take place on 29 March 2019).
As a result of this vote, the next steps as regards the Brexit process are unclear. The agreement may be put before Parliament again to be voted on, it could be renegotiated, or the UK could leave the EU without a deal. Further, the 29 March 2019 departure date could be extended or postponed to give both the UK and EU further time to decide how to proceed.
We will continue to keep you abreast of developments. In the meantime, until the departure date, IP rights will continue to be protected and enforced in the UK as normal. What happens after the departure date will depend on whether or not an agreement is in place between the UK and EU beforehand. The position as regards European Patents, EU Trade Marks and Community Designs if the current agreement is, in time, accepted are set out in our recently updated Brexit FAQs section which can be read here. The position the UK Government has announced it will adopt as regards these rights in the event of no deal being reached is summarised there also.
Do contact us if you have any questions.
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Recent news & updates
Find out more Case report: R 872/2023-4 EU Designation of International Trade Mark Registration No. 1660878 Device of a Gummy Bear
Case Reports
November 2023
A recent decision from the Board of Appeal at the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) serves as a useful reminder that, just because an image can be used decoratively, that does not mean that it is not capable of being relied on by the public to determine the trade source of goods. Hence such images may be registrable as trade marks.
Beck Greener ranked in legal directory Chambers & Partners for 5th year running
Beck Greener News
October 2023
Beck Greener has been ranked as a leading firm in the Intellectual Property: Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys UK-wide section of the legal directory Chambers & Partners for the 5th year running.
Beck Greener highly ranked in latest Legal 500 directory rankings
Beck Greener News
October 2023
We are very pleased to announce that Beck Greener has once again been ranked as a leading IP firm for both patent and trade mark matters in the latest edition of The Legal 500 directory rankings.
Discontinuation of Advance Information on European Regional Phase Entry
IP News
September 2023
The abolition of the ten-day rule is not the only procedural change being made at the European Patent Office (EPO) in November 2023.
Beck Greener Expands In-House Litigation Capabilites
Beck Greener News
August 2023
We are delighted to report that Beck Greener Associate, Kashif Syed, has passed both the written and practical examinations set by Nottingham Law School to qualify as a Higher Courts Advocate.
EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal Referral G1/23 – Extent of Disclosure of Prior Use
IP News
August 2023
The first referral of 2023, case G1/23, has been made to the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) of the EPO, seeking clarification on the enablement test in relation to prior use of a product.
UK IPO Introduces One IPO
IP News
July 2023
In 2021, the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) began a transformation programme to update its system and services.
IAM Patent 1000 ranks Beck Greener for patent prosecution for 3rd year running
Beck Greener News
June 2023
Beck Greener has been ranked by the legal directory IAM Patent 1000 for patent prosecution in the recently published IAM Patent 1000 2023 listings. This year marks the third year running for the firm being ranked in this category. This ranking from IAM Patent 1000 means that Beck Greener is highly praised by sources and amongst the most competitive in the field.
UK Trade Marks Registry raising of bad faith objections ex officio on examination of trade mark applications
IP News
June 2023
The concept of "bad faith" has no definition under the UK Trade Marks Act 1994 ("the Act").
The Unitary Patent Package Is Here!
IP News
June 2023
The European patent system makes its biggest change in forty years, as the Unified Patent Court Agreement enters into force on 1 June 2023.
Plausibility – G 2/21: Decision issued by Enlarged Board of Appeal
IP News
May 2023
The EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) has recently announced the eagerly awaited decision in respect of the G 2/21 (“Plausibility”) referral made in 2021.
International Trade Mark System Joined by Mauritius
IP News
March 2023
Mauritius has filed instruments of accession to the Madrid Protocol with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, resulting in the Madrid System of International Trade Marks now covering 130 countries.
Unified Patent Court: Sunrise Period opens on 1 March 2023
IP News
February 2023
In a major landmark on the road towards entry into effect of the Unified Patent Court Agreement, the Sunrise Period opens on 1 March 2023.
WTR 1000 Ranks Beck Greener Silver Tiered Firm 5th Year Running
Beck Greener News
February 2023
We are delighted to announce that Beck Greener has been recognised as a Silver Tier firm for prosecution and strategy in the 2023 edition of the World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals for the 5th consecutive year.
EPO Announce Transitional Measures For Early Uptake of Unitary Patent
IP News
December 2022
With the recent announcement of the delay to the implementation of the UPC Agreement to 1 June 2023, and the start of the “Sunrise Period” to 1 March 2023, the EPO has announced that two transitional measures previously signaled at the start of 2022 will come into force on 1 January 2023.
Belize Joins International Trade Mark System
IP News
December 2022
Instruments of accession to the Madrid Protocol were filed by Belize on 24 November 2022 with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, taking the number of countries covered by the Madrid System of International Trade Marks to 129 countries.
Adjustment of the Unified Patent Court timeline – Start of the Sunrise Period on 1 March 2023
IP News
December 2022
The roadmap for the UPC has been postponed by two months.
EPO: VICO Oppositions are Here to Stay
IP News
November 2022
The EPO has decided, following completion of a pilot project, that from 1 January 2023 video conference (VICO) will be the default format for Oral proceedings in opposition. The practice of recent months and years is here to stay.
EPO to Abolish the 10-day Rule
IP News
November 2022
The EPO has announced that it has updated its mailing period rules. The update will end the current mailing period arrangements with effect from 1 November 2023.
