Legal updates and opinions
News / News
‘Deal’ or ‘No Deal’ – brexit and trade marks
By Donvay Wegierski, Director
Depending on the circumstances, the following considerations and time frames concerning trade marks in the UK are expected to apply to European Trade Marks (“EUTM’s”)*.
- The UK and EU reach a ‘deal’ before 29 March 2019: All EUTM trade mark registrations will be considered in force and effect in the UK until 21 January 2021 whereafter UK trade marks will automatically be created, replicating the EUTM.
- The UK and EU reach ‘no deal’ and the UK exits the EU on 29 March 2019: Registered EUTMs will automatically be created into replica UK registrations on 29 March 2019. A transitional nine month period will follow allowing holders of pending EUTM’s to opt for UK replication.
Should the exit date be extended EUTM’s will continue to cover the UK as they currently do. Our recommendation remains that a separate UK application be filed simultaneously on filing EUTM’s to avoid any uncertainty.
*A EUTM covers all 27 member countries of the EU, namely Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
If you would like to learn more about Intellectual Property please visit our practice area page.
Latest News
Enhancing Innovation, Technologically
Continuing Werksmans' multi-disciplinary approach in providing our clients with innovative approaches that go beyond the law into wider, business [...]
The proper interpretation of conflicting provisions in the Income Tax Act
and Luke Magerman, Candidate Attorney A recent tax court judgment added valuable jurisprudence to the often-litigated issue of the interpretation [...]
What is the relevance of s 52 of the MPRDA on retrenchments in terms of section 189 and 189A in the mining industry?
In National Union of Mineworkers v Anglo American Platinum Ltd & others (Amplats), on 15 January 2013, Amplats had [...]
Mining terminology: the difference between “accepted”, “granted” “executed” and “registered”
Four of the most common words that one hears in conjunction with mining rights, prospecting rights are "accepted", "granted", [...]
Worried about the new EE Amendments? Progressive implementation of numerical targets is possible!
On 12 April 2023 the President signed the Employment Equity (EE) Amendment Bill, 2020 into law. The Act is [...]
An employer’s right to use replacement labour where a lockout has been instituted
and Nyeleti Baloyi, Candidate Attorney On 18 April 2023, the Constitutional Court delivered a judgment on the interpretation of section 76(1)(b) of [...]
