A June 2022 decision by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) provided a first instance ruling for a trademark dispute pertaining to the name of a famous noodle shop in Singapore. The IPOS adjudicator ruled that the late noodle shop operator’s children had a right to register trademarks pertaining to the name of their […]
Publications
New Regulatory Authority Created to Regulate and Oversee Gambling in Singapore
Newly enacted legislations in Singapore have established a single regulatory authority for all forms of gambling, and have updated gambling regulations to protect the country from potentially harmful emerging trends. Establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act (“GRA Act”) which came into force 1 August 2022 has tasked the […]
Thailand’s New Customs Recordation Procedures for Trademark and Copyright - Requirements
Further to our recent post on the reversal of administration of customs recordal to the Royal Thai Customs Department (“Customs”), trademark and copyright owners (“IP owners”) who wish to file customs recordation should take note of the following requirements: Recordation of Registered Trademarks Appointment of a local agent, if the IP owner is a foreigner; […]
SINGAPORE: Founding Family Keep Trademark Rights to ENG’S Famous Noodle Shop
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore decided in June 2022 that a deceased noodle shop operator’s children can register trademarks relating to their late father’s shop, in the face of opposition from their father’s former business partner. Ng Ba Eng operated a noodle business from 1962 until his death in 2013. In the 1980s, Ng […]
Thailand’s New Customs Recordation Procedures for Trademark and Copyright
Customs recordation has always been an important border protection measure that Intellectual Property (IP) owners can employ for enforcement purposes in Thailand. In the past IP owners would file customs recordation directly with the Royal Thai Customs Department (Customs), by recording their trademark information as well as the names of their authorised importers for Customs […]
Sociedad Anonima Damm v Hijos De Rivera, S.A. [2022] SGIPOS 6
The Applicant, Hijos de Rivera, S.A. and the Opponent, Sociedad Anonima Damm are beer producers based in Spain. Both parties co-exist in Spain, Europe and UK, but as they grew beyond those territories they began to get embroiled in disputes. The Opponent registered its word mark “ESTRELLA DAMM” (“Registered Mark”) in Singapore in 2011, beginning […]
Deceptive Design Pattern (aka “dark patterns”)
A deceptive design pattern or dark pattern is a method employed by companies to make consumers do unintended things or to make it harder to do what they intended to do. Examples include free trial subscriptions which eventually turned out to be pricey and charged automatically to credit cards; additional charges or items appearing when […]
Nutri-Grade Labelling Requirement Extended To Drinks Outlets Offering Freshly Prepared Drinks With High Sugar and Saturated Fat Content By End-2023
Following the requirement for pre-packed beverages to be labelled with a Nutri-Grade mark from 30 December 2022, the Singapore government has extended this requirement to all businesses offering freshly prepared drinks with high levels of sugar and saturated fat content by end 2023. The Nutri-Grade mark is a four colour-coded grade, with Grade A denoting […]
IPOS Extended the SG IP Fast Track Programme for Another 2 Years and Ended the 12 Months File-To-Grant Programme from 30 April 2022
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently extended their existing examination acceleration programme for patents, SG IP Fast Track Programme, for another 2 years from 30 April 2022 until 30 April 2024, to give enterprises a competitive advantage as Singapore and the world reopen from the Covid-19 pandemic. Concurrently, however, IPOS has terminated […]
Thailand - Adjustment of Minimum Market Value or Damages in Intellectual Property (IP) Infringement Cases
Since its establishment in October 2002, the DSI has been crucial in combating IP infringements in Thailand. Deriving its authority from the Special Case Investigation Act B.E. 2547 (2004) (as amended), the DSI can investigate certain IP-related infringement cases, i.e. copyright, patent, and trademark. There are two main requirements for IP-related infringement cases to fall […]