UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥

IP essentials


The IP essentials subtopic provides a basic overview of IP law and introduces the four main IP rights: patents, trade marks, designs and copyright. It is aimed at commercial lawyers not specialised in IP.

What is intellectual property?

The World Intellectual Property Office defines IP as 'creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce'. Broadly, the aim of IP law is to cultivate an environment in which creativity and invention can flourish. Protection of IP rights means that those who invest time and resource in creating and developing IP can reap benefit from their investment. By registering (where necessary), maintaining and enforcing IP rights, a rights holder can prevent people stealing or copying valuable assets such as: brand names and logos; inventions; design and look of products; written content; photographs and artwork. In the UK, IP rights are registered with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) though there are other entities which register rights at an international level.

The four most common IP rights are:

  1. •

    patents

  2. •

    trade marks

  3. •

    designs

  4. •

    copyright and associated rights

Other

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL
Powered by Lexis+®
Latest IP News

EPO deploys latest MyEPO features for all users

The European Patent Office (EPO) has launched new functionalities for its MyEPO services suite as part of its Strategic Plan 2028, aiming to enhance user experience and streamline the digital patent granting process. The latest release improves workflow, refines the MyEPO's design, and enables self-management options, developed in collaboration with 145 pilot companies. With two-factor authentication being required for accessing MyEPO from 1 January 2025, users are advised to upgrade access methods, as the use of smart cards will be phased out. In addition, the Webform Filing tool and the Online Filing software version 5.14 will also be discontinued from 1 January 2025.

Teva fined €462.6m for artificially extending patent protection of Copaxone

The European Commission has fined Teva €462.6m after it found that it abused its dominant position to delay competing products to its treatment for multiple sclerosis, Copaxone, entering the market. The pharmaceutical company artificially extended the patent protection for Copaxone by misusing the European Patent Office’s rules and procedures on divisional patents, and systematically spread misleading information about a competing and cheaper product’s safety, efficacy and therapeutic equivalence with Copaxone in order to hinder market entry and uptake. The Commission decided that Teva’s abuses were complementary and together amounted to a single and continuous infringement of Article 102 TFEU.

IP rights and the new EU Packaging Regulation

IP analysis: Valérie Corbiau, senior Trade mark and Design attorney, and Michael Shaw, partner, at Marks & Clerk LLP review the new EU Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste from an IP rights perspective. The European Union is now close to finalising new legislation on packaging and packaging waste, placing an obligation on manufacturers and importers of products in the EU to minimise the volume and weight of product packaging, and to reduce packaging waste. In the interests of environmental sustainability, any product packaging that does not comply with these requirements is prohibited. The measures aim to increase the use of recycled content in packaging, especially in plastic packaging where the uptake of recycled content is very low, as well as higher recycling rates for all packaging. The requirements apply both to the composition and volume of the product packaging. By 1 January 2030, the manufacturer or importer must ensure that any packaging placed on the market is designed so that its weight and volume is reduced to the minimum necessary to serve its purpose, taking into account the shape and material of the packaging, and so as to allow for the packaging to be re-used as many times as possible or recycled.

IP weekly highlights—31 October 2024

This week's edition of IP weekly highlights includes: a hand-picked summary of news analysis, updates and new content from the world of IP. These highlights focus on the key rights of copyright and associated rights, database rights, trade marks and passing off, designs, and patents as well as covering issues relating to confidential information, know-how R&D and IP disputes all mainly from a UK and European perspective.

View IP by content type :  
News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Popular documents

Introduction to patents

Introduction to patentsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024, REUL that remains

Joint ownership of intellectual property rights

Joint ownership of intellectual property rightsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January

Licensing intellectual property rights

Licensing intellectual property rightsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024,

Introduction to trade marks

Introduction to trade marksSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024, REUL that
Introduction to patents

Introduction to patents

Introduction to patentsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024, REUL that remains

Joint ownership of intellectual property rights

Joint ownership of intellectual property rights

Joint ownership of intellectual property rightsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January

Licensing intellectual property rights

Licensing intellectual property rights

Licensing intellectual property rightsSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024,

Introduction to trade marks

Introduction to trade marks

Introduction to trade marksSTOP PRESS—Impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: This document contains references to retained EU law (REUL) and associated terms introduced by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in connection with Brexit. From 1 January 2024, REUL that