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Parallel to the trademark system, there is an independent and far-reaching protection for protected geographical indications (hereinafter PGI) and protected designations of origin (hereinafter PDO). This is a separate category of protection rights (sui generis), based on an EU regulation[1], the enforcement of which in Austria is embedded in the Trademark Protection Act.
Continue readingThe renowned international magazine “Managing Intellectual Property” annually presents the EMEA Awards in London, which recognize the best European intellectual property firms.
At the ceromony in London on March 5, 2020, Gassauer-Fleissner Attorneys at Law received the award for the best Austrian law firm in the “Patent Contentious” field. The IP-Team was also nominated for top Austrian firm in the categories Trademark Contentious and Copyright & Design.
Gassauer-Fleissner Attorneys at Law again achieved top rankings by the renowned law firm guides World Trademark Review (WTR 1000) (Silver, trademark law) and by Chambers and Partners (Band 1, intellectual property).
Many thanks to our clients for their trust and to our referees for their support!
The United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31, 2020. What happens now to your EU trade mark(s) (“EUTM”)? Are they still protected in the UK? Do you have to register a new trade mark? This article provides an overview.
Continue readingDue to the borderless nature of the Internet, it is often a hard question in which country right holders may file an action against online IP infringements. Concerning online infringement of EU trade marks, the CJEUhas now created (some) clarity in AMS Neve v. Heritage – C-172/18. Trade mark holders may sue not only in the infringer’s home country but also in the country to which the infringing offers for sale and advertising are directed. This results from Art 125 (5) UMV (formerly Art 97 (5) CTMR).
Continue readingUnder Austrian law, holders of exclusive trademark licenses used to be allowed to take legal action against infringers by virtue of the exclusive license, i.e. even if the license agreement did not expressly confer such right to the licensee [OGH 4 Ob 178/00f, BOSS-Brillen II]. Only the non-exclusive licensee required an express grant of right to bring suit in order to enforce the trademark [OGH 4 Ob 209/02f, Brühl, ÖBl 2003, 87 (Hiti)].
Since a recent amendment of Section 14 (3) of the Austrian Trademark Protection Act that took place in 2019, each licensee (i.e. also the exclusive licensee) requires the consent of the licensor in order to enforce the licensed trademark against third parties. However, the holder of an exclusive license may bring such proceedings if the proprietor of the trademark, after having been noticed by the licensee, does not himself bring infringement proceedings within an appropriate period.
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