On 11 January 2018, Melchior Wathelet, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), published his opinion about the dispute concerning the Neuschwanstein EU trademark. In his opinion,…

In its recent decision of 18 October 2017, the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) held square-shaped chocolate packaging eligible for protection as three-dimensional trademarks and annulled two…

The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled that one must be strict when comparing a word mark with a three-dimensional mark in order to prevent right owners from monopolizing product shapes by obtaining word…

The German Federal Court of Justice ruled on two aspects of trade mark law in its recent decision. The conclusion of the Court was, firstly, that a mark which is registered in black and white is not identical with…

Interbrand, started in 1974 with its approximately 40 offices around the globe, is one of the biggest and oldest brand consultancy companies around the world. Every year, Interbrand conducts and publishes…

1. National Trademark Filings in Germany

 The German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO) in its Annual Report published the…