Blog
Analysis and commentary on intellectual property developments relevant to cross-border business across Europe, Latin America and Africa. We publish on the matters that affect how intangible assets are protected, exploited and defended — from EUIPO and WIPO practice to the implementation of the EU AI Act and the evolution of intellectual property regimes across Latin American and African jurisdictions.
Thomson Reuters v Ross: Third Circuit rejects fair use for AI training
The Third Circuit held that Westlaw headnotes are original and that ROSS's use of them to train a competing AI legal-research tool was not fair use.…
Global Innovation Index 2026: what it means for Latin America and Africa
Chile leads Latin America, Brazil is the region's only overperformer and South Africa overperforms for a ninth year. How to read the GII 2026 for IP…
Reveal Day set for 7 October: the 2026 gTLD calendar through March 2027
ICANN sets Reveal Day for 7 October 2026, String Confirmation Day for 17 November and the comment and objection period until 16 March 2027. What to…
Logos, characters and packaging: copyright and trademark at the same time
A logo or mascot can be protected by copyright and as a trademark at once. How the two layers differ, who owns a commissioned design and…
The Hague System in numbers: what 2025 data tells cross-border designers
WIPO's 2025 Hague data: record design filings, top origins and designated members, leading Locarno classes, average fees and what they mean for Europe, LatAm and Africa.
PCT national phase costs in Latin America: Colombia, Mexico, Brazil 2026
Official 2026 fees, deadlines and hidden costs for entering Colombia, Mexico and Brazil from a PCT application, with practical tips to keep the Latin American budget…
Enforcing IP across OAPI’s 17 member states: one title, many courts
An OAPI title covers 17 states, but each infringement case goes to national courts. Validity rulings, seizures, customs and deadlines under the Bangui Agreement.
Copyright assignment applicable law: the CJEU in Steizer applies Rome I
The CJEU ruled on 24 September 2026 that the formal validity of a copyright assignment follows Rome I, not the law of the country of protection.…
Trademark squatting and bad-faith filings: a playbook for EU, LatAm and China
How to prevent and fight trademark squatting across the EU, Latin America and China: bad-faith remedies, deadlines, agent rules and China's 2027 reform.
Domain names in cross-border IP due diligence: what to check before a deal
What to check on domain names before an acquisition: the real registrant, NIS2 data accuracy, account control, pending disputes, transfer locks and ccTLD rules.
Birkenstock v Lidl in the Netherlands: when copyright protects design
A Dutch court banned Lidl's Birkenstock lookalikes, but found copyright in only two features. The ruling, the CJEU's Mio test and why designs need both layers.
Madrid Protocol individual fees: four changes notified in September 2026
WIPO notified four individual fee changes in September 2026: Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Israel and Canada. New CHF amounts, start dates and a three-class budget.
