WHAT A PERFORMANCE; BEER AGAIN

Don’t forget…

This Thursday 18 May QMIPRI is hosting a panel debate on the introduction of moral rights for performers. On the panel are Ute Decker (IFPI), John Smith (the Musicians’ Union) and Philip Johnson (DTI, but speaking in his personal capacity).

The jousting starts at 5.30pm. If you want to come along, just email Ilanah


Anheuser-Busch wins in Sweden

Yahoo reports that Anheuser-Busch has won the Swedish leg of the BUDWEISER litigation. The Swedish case began in 1999 and now the Swedish Supreme Court has said that it won’t hear an appeal from Budejovicky Budvar against January’s decision of the Svea Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals ordered the Czech company to stop using Budweiser Budvar because, following a WTO ruling, geographic indications protected in Europe cannot be used in translation if they interfere with prior or existing trade marks.

The IPKat thinks that the multi-jurisdictional litigation, together with trade mark exhaustion rules, is going to make life fun for trade mark lawyers even after the two companies have fought their way through all 25 EU Member States.