Does the act of hiring out cars equipped with a radio receiver constitute a communication to the public? - Copyright infringement

Background of the case Fleetmanager Sweden AB and Nordisk Biluthyrning AB are motor vehicle leasing companies with their registered offices in Sweden. They offer vehicles equipped with a radio receiver for hiring, either directly or through intermediaries, in particular for periods not exceeding 29 days, which is regarded under national law as a short-term lease. The two companies are being sued in two separate proceedings, the first by Föreningen Svenska Tonsättares Internationella Musikbyrå…


Update on procedural and administrative deadlines before the OEPM and EUIPO.- COVID-19

After the Spanish Government enacted the State of Alarm due to the current pandemic, the fulfillment of administrative timeframes before the Spanish Trademark and Patent Office (OEPM) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has been suspended and interrupted. Below, we clarify how this situation will be implemented in both offices as well as in the Spanish legal system after the approval of another 15 days’ extension, until April 26. We may however anticipate that a new…


AMAZON v COTY

Is a natural person or a legal entity who stores goods which infringe trade mark rights on behalf of a third party, without being aware of that infringement, to be regarded as stocking those goods for the purpose of offering them or putting them on the market? Background of the case. The parties involved in the case are Coty Germany GmbH (hereinafter referred as "COTY") and AMAZON. COTY distributes perfumes and holds an EUTM license "DAVIDOFF" for perfume-related products.  AMAZON offers to…


Fack Ju Göhte, is it contrary to accepted principles of morality?

Background of the case. On 21 April 2015, the appellant, Constantin Film Produktion, filed an EUTM application before the EUIPO 'Fack Ju Göhte' for Classes 3, 9, 14, 16, 18, 21, 25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 38 and 41, which corresponds in addition to the title of a highly famous and recognized German comedy film produced by the appellant. In September 2015, the examiner issued a provisional refusal on the ground that it was contrary to accepted principles of morality. Being the arguments of the…


Update on procedural and administrative deadlines before the OEPM and EUIPO. - COVID-19

After the Spanish Government enacted the State of Alarm due to the current pandemic, the fulfillment of administrative timeframes before the Spanish Trademark and Patent Office (OEPM) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has been suspended and interrupted. Below, we clarify how this situation will be implemented in both offices as well as in the Spanish legal system. Administrative bodies. OEPM The Director of this Office has issued a resolution implementing the Royal…


Making available to the public and e-books. New interpretation.

On 19 December the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the EU ruled on the question referred for a preliminary ruling in the context of a dispute in the Netherlands concerning the provision of online services consisting of a virtual marketplace for "second-hand" e-books, with regard to the interpretation of Articles 2, 4(1) and (2) and 5 of Directive 2001/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related…


Hernández-Martí attended yesterday the Launch of the European Social Innovation Competition 2020 - Reimagine Fashion

Hernández-Martí attended yesterday the Launch of the European Social Innovation Competition 2020 - Reimagine Fashion, which took place in the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia. It was discussed among others the parameters to reedecuate consumer as well as the fashion industry to direct it towards a more eco-friendly and sustainable sector. During the speeches, several speakers presented their business models and the entrepreneurial ways of succeeding in such an emerging field. Also professors and…


Industrial design infringement – case law parameters in Spain and the overall impression in consumers.

The appellant, Mr. Luís Pablo filed an appeal based on procedural infringement and an appeal limited to the points of law (Recurso de casación) against the judgment ruled by the Audiencia Provincial de Zaragoza (Section No. 5) dated July 12, 2017 favorable to Canela Joyería Artesana S.L., where it was denied the existence of design infringement. We refer below to the designs at stake: Previous design                                    Design owned by Canela Joyería Artesana…


Rubik's cube - shape mark

On April 1996, a three-dimensional EUTM was filed in Class 28 (three-dimensional puzzles) as reproduced below. The initial Applicant (Seven Towns) did not claim any particular color and provided any description of it. The trademark was granted for registration and assigned Nº 162784 on April 1999 and subsequently renewed as well as transferred to Rubik´s Brand Ltd. On November 2006, the intervener, Simba Toys GmbH & Co. KG, filed an application for a declaration of invalidity pursuant to…


Right to privacy. Protecting houses of Security cameras which are not recording.

Judgement (Civil Order) of November 7, 2019. We feel honored for a recent judgement which recognizes a right to privacy claimed by our client which was initially disregarded by the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (Spanish Data Protection agency) and the First Instance Courts. The perseverance and trust in our legal team were essential to make the right to privacy enforceable before the Tribunal Supremo (Highest Instance Court). The situation that brought our client to file a lawsuit…