Update: The deadline for papers has now been extended to 11 June 2017 Copyright influences everyone’s life. Certainly, it forms the framework for the creation and circulation of culture as each artist has to adjust to copyright when building upon others’ work or when planning to make a living from his or her creativity. But…

To ensure you don’t miss out on interesting IP law developments reported on our other IP blogs, we will, on a regular basis, provide you with an overview of the top 3 most-read posts from each of our IP law blogs.  Here are the top posts from March and April. Top 3 Kluwer Copyright Blog…

Designs for cheerleading uniforms owned by Varsity Brands, Inc., were copyrightable because the graphic elements of those designs were separable from the utilitarian function of a cheerleading uniform, the U.S. Supreme Court has held. In a split decision, the Court held that a feature incorporated into the design of a useful article is eligible for…

A full report of this case has been published on Kluwer IP Law. In this interesting case, the Supreme Court of Estonia examined whether the answers given by the claimant in the framework of an interview are works protectable by copyright. Section 4(6) of the Copyright Act stipulates that the protection of a work by…

Can a scooter enjoy, contemporaneously, protection as a three-dimensional trademark (hereinafter 3D mark) and under copyright law?  Apparently it can, at least according to the Court of Turin, which recently said so, with its decision no. 1900/2017 dated March 17, 2017. The case was started when Piaggio, maker of the scooter Vespa, asserted rights arising…

A full summary of this case has been published on Kluwer IP Law The Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court’s decision that the defence raised by a pub owner who had been showing football matches using a domestic satellite decoder from a foreign broadcaster was not valid, as there was not a sufficient…

A full report of this case has been published on Kluwer IP Law The Supreme Court of Estonia analysed the conditions under which the public performance of works at a school concert falls within the free use exception. In principle, the Supreme Court agreed with the courts of lower instance by holding that the public…

A full summary of this case has been published on Kluwer IP Law In a case between a music publisher and members of the pop group Duran Duran, the Court granted a declaration to the claimant music publisher, finding that service of notices under s.203 US Copyright Act 1976 purporting to terminate assignments of the US…

Over the last decade, in particular, the English courts have shown a strong resolve to tackle online infringements of IP rights, and also an ability and willingness to be flexible in the remedies which they can provide to assist IP rights holders in tackling the ever evolving challenges which new technologies have created. A recent…

Last week we published the first part of a two-part article summarising the essence of the presentations at the annual IP conference organised by the University of Geneva on February 22, 2017 (programme available here). This is the second part of the article, discussing the remaining presentations. 4. Scope of copyright: hyperlinking and framing as…