14.04.2021 | Procedure and Evidence Requirements for Trademark Cancellation in Non-Use Areas
Procedure and Evidence Requirements for Trademark Cancellation in Non-Use Areas Cancellation is a request to cancel all or part of the registered trademark. The reasons for cancellation due to non-use are as follows: – The trademark is not actually used in Hong Kong by the owner for its registered goods or services, or with his consent, it has not been used for more than three consecutive years without reasonable reasons (such as import restrictions on goods or services protected by... MORE
15.03.2021 | Amendment of Trademark applications and Registrations in Hong Kong
Amendment of Trademark applications Soon after submitting an application for trademark registration, the representation of the trademark and its particular information are entered into the official database and can be searched online. It is crucial for the applicant to accurately list out what are applying for in the application form so that the data can then be accurately entered into the database. Amendments are only allowed in very limited circumstances. The idea is that, from the date when the application... MORE
01.03.2021 | China : Shanghai court awarded New Balance damages for over US$ 4 million in trademark infringement claims
A Shanghai court has recently awarded New Balance damages for RMB 25 million, over US$ 4 million, which is the highest amount of damages ever awarded by the China courts in favour of a foreign brand for trademark infringement and unfair competition. This is good news to foreign trademark owners, and also a perfect timing in response to the US government under the new President that China is taking a more serious stance against intellectual property copycats. In the past,... MORE
01.03.2021 | Hong Kong : A new direction to penalize China copycats in Hong Kong – criminal offence of money laundering
Hong Kong : A new direction to penalize China copycats in Hong Kong – criminal offence of money laundering Hong Kong Customs has recently laid criminal charges against China suppliers exporting counterfeits for the generally called “money laundering” offences. It shall involve two important elements to entitle the Hong Kong Customs to prosecute the offenders. 1. A bank account in Hong Kong which received the sale proceeds of the counterfeits from overseas buyers. 2. Conviction of a buyer in overseas... MORE
24.02.2021 | China : Distinctions between trademark opposition and declaration of invalidation
Distinctions between trademark opposition and declaration of invalidation In the course of business of companies, they may face trademark opposition and trademark invalidation. So, what is the distinctions between trademark opposition and invalidation? What are their respective examination subjects and standards of examination? This article will provide comparisons to explain about the two major procedures of the trademark legal practice. 1. Legal basis According to Article 33 of Trademark Law of PRC: If a holder of prior rights or an... MORE
24.02.2021 | Taiwan : Do you need a patent, trademark, or copyright?
Do you need a patent, trademark, or copyright? The intellectual property rights have become the mainstream trend in the world which is full of intangible assets. However, the most noticeable things are patents, trademarks and copyrights. In a daily life, we often see the term “infringement” on TV, and the party who infringes the rights is required to pay a large amount of compensation. By view of this point, are intellectual property rights very important to you? I think the... MORE
16.02.2021 | Registered trademarks-use of ® symbol in Hong Kong
Registered trademarks-use of ® symbol in Hong Kong Registrable trademark A trademark must have some uniqueness to distinguish the goods/services sold under the trademark from other goods/services. It is difficult to register trademarks that describe your goods (such as telephones) and services (such as telephone operators). This is by no means a sign that other traders may wish to use to promote or describe their goods and services, nor should they mislead the public about the nature of your goods... MORE
11.01.2021 | Do you need to register your trademark?
What is a trademark? A trademark is a sign that distinguishes the goods and services of a merchant from those of other merchants. Generally, trademarks can be words (including personal names), descriptions, designs, letters, characters, numbers, graphic elements, colors, sounds, smells, product shapes or their packaging or any combination of them. In order to be able to register it as a registered trademark, the symbol must be displayed graphically. Why register a trademark? Registering your trademark means that you have... MORE
17.12.2020 | Supremacy of Well-Known Trademark in Hong Kong
In a recent Hong Kong High Court decision that awarding “LOUIS VUITTON” the status of well-known trademark, it has evidenced the supremacy of protection offered under this supreme status. Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton or shortened to LV, is a French fashion house and luxury goods company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton is one of the world’s leading international fashion brands; it sells its products through standalone boutiques, lease departments in high-end department stores,... MORE
13.11.2020 | The Benefits of Strong Trademarks
The Benefits of Strong Trademarks A unique trademark is the strongest trademark and afford the trademark owner with the highest level of protection. Below are some of the reasons why having a strong trademark is so important: – (1) You have a better chance to approve your trademark application. The more common your trademark, the smaller the chance of obtaining approval; and the greater the chance of encountering similarity (or identical trademark) issues. As you can see, the more unique... MORE
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