A recent decision by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore issued on September 22, 2021, shed light on the use of a registered trademark, as well as the ways in which a trademark owner can depend on its consent to a separate third party’s use of its trademark to prove genuine use. Unilever PLC (the […]
Publications
SINGAPORE: An Entirely Different Beast
A recent opposition by Monster Energy Company (the opponent) against a trademark application filed by Health and Happiness (H&H) Hong Kong Limited (the applicant) is one of the very rare instances whereby the opponent relied on its earlier trademarks for goods to oppose an application for services. The applicant applied to register NOISY BEAST in […]
SAP Asia Ordered to Pay Financial Penalty Having Failed to Protect Personal Data of Its Former Employees
A decision of the Personal Data Protection Commission (“PDPC”) demonstrates the importance of conveying specific business requirements clearly to external vendors and conducting preliminary testing of any supplied products before use, lest an organisation be held in breach of its data protection obligations under the Personal Data Protection Act (“the Act”). The PDPC found that […]
Quotation and Service Comparison Portal Ordered to Pay Financial Penalty and Issued Direction to Comply
A recent decision of the Personal Data Protection Commission (“PDPC”) demonstrates the importance of implementing internal data protection measures to comply with the Personal Data Protection Act (“the Act”). The PDPC investigated after local media reported that iCompare.sg (“the Portal”) had data that had been put up on the Dark Web. The Portal was created […]
Singapore-registered design subsidiary amendments
Published by the Intellectual Property of Singapore (IPOS) on September 10, 2021, amendments have been made on the Registered Designs Rules ("RD Rules") and the Registered Designs (International Registration) Rules ("RD(IR) Rules"), which took effect from October 1, 2021. A summary of several key amendments is highlighted below Electronic online system IPOS has always advocated […]
SINGAPORE: Distinctive Elements Play Key Role in Distinguishing Marks
The recent case involving “Dr. Wolff’s Vagisan” illustrates the importance of distinguishing a mark from similar, existing marks by adding distinctive elements in the mark applied for. The parties, Dr. August Wolff GmbH & Co. KG Arzneimittel (the applicant) and Combe International Ltd (the opponent) had been engaged in a prior invalidation proceeding. The opponent […]
Tuition Agency Fined for Breach of Personal Data
Champion Tutor Inc. is a tuition agency with more than 10 years of experience in matching students with tutors in Singapore through its online marketplace website. It was fined SGD 10,000 for breach of its personal data protection obligations. This is its second fine in two years over its breach of its personal data protection […]
IPOS Extended Its Patent Acceleration Initiatives under ASPEC AIM Programme and PPH Programme with China
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently extended its two pilot patent acceleration programmes such as the ASPEC Acceleration for Industry 4.0 Infrastructure and Manufacturing Pilot (ASPEC AIM) Programme until 26 August 2023, and the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreement with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) until 31 August 2026, in […]
Bakery Worked with the Personal Data Protection Commission to Investigate Breach
On 21 September 2021, the Personal Data Protection Commission (“the Commission”) fined Seriously Keto Pte. Ltd. (“Seriously Keto”) a penalty of $8,000 over its breach of its personal data protection obligations under the Personal Data Protection (“PDPA”). In particular, the Commission found that Seriously Keto had failed to implement appropriate security measures in order to […]
Personal Data Protection Commission Allowing Fine to Be Paid in Installments
The Personal Data Protection Commission (“the Commission”) fined Sendtech Pte. Ltd. (“Sendtech”) a penalty of $9,000 through 12 installments following a finding that it had breached its obligations under the Personal Data Protection Act 2021. On 13 February 2021, Sendtech informed the Commission of an unauthorized access to its Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) account through […]