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 […]
Publications
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 […]
Twitter, Inc. v. V V Technology Pte Ltd [2022] SGIPOS 4
A recent decision shows the importance of consumer perception of economic linkages to the likelihood of confusion inquiry. VV Technology Pte Ltd (the applicant) had already registered its mark for goods and services under other classes that overlapped with the opponent’s mark. The applicant then sought to register its mark under Class 42 for several services […]
SINGAPORE: Registrar Rejects Daimler’s Similarity and Passing-Off Claims
In a decision of February 9, 2022, Daimler AG (opponent) failed in its opposition action against Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd (applicant) on grounds of similarity and passing off. The opponent lost principally due to a lack of evidence of use of its mark as registered and, thereby, lack of goodwill in its mark. This […]
Amendments to the Rules and Regulation on Inter Partes Proceedings in the Philippines
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) issued a Memorandum Circular No. 2022-013 on “Amendments to the Rules and Regulations on Inter Partes Proceedings” on 27 May 2022, which took effect on 30 June 2022. These amendments are in response to challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, to ensure the continuity of operations and […]
Medical use claims in ASEAN countries
Singapore Under Section 16 of the Singapore Patents Act, “an invention of a method of treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy or of diagnosis practised on the human or animal body is not taken to be capable of industrial application.” However, first and second medical use claims are allowable in […]