The past 12 months have seen some interesting developments in several distinct areas of intellectual property law. Among the most important developments were emerging trade mark protection issues for well-known literary characters coming out of copyright. There was also a surge of trade mark litigation regarding the area of copycat advertising and packaging. We look back on some popular insights from our award-winning Intellectual Property team on these developments. Lidl and Tesco Caught in a Vicious Circle One of the biggest developments of...

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Sika acquires a stake of 30% in Concria Oy, a Finnish startup company specializing in highly innovative concrete floors. Concria has developed a new technology for concrete flooring, offering a wide range of advantages to contractors, architects, and property owners. Sika’s global network and complementary product portfolio will provide an attractive growth platform. Concria has developed an excellent technology that represents a novel approach to concrete floor installation and polishing. It includes special dry shake hardeners as well as a...

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We are writing to inform you of a new regulation under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) that, for the first time, will require disclosure of information about all corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships (unless exempt) and personal information about their beneficial owners as well as personal information about the persons who form those entities. This requirement is effective on January 1, 2024 for all such entities unless otherwise exempt by the regulation.  Cozen O’Connor can assist with the...

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The United Kingdom’s Online Safety Bill has recently received royal assent and become law as the Online Safety Act (OSA). What is the OSA? The OSA aims to regulate online content or activities that are deemed harmful to individuals, especially children. The OSA offers online users more control over online content, particularly by mandating firmer protections for children and directly placing legal responsibility on online services to prevent and remove harmful content. To whom does the OSA apply? In addition to online service...

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Under Section 922 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, Congress expanded protections for whistleblowers reporting possible violations of federal securities laws to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Specifically, the statute established certain financial incentives and confidentiality guarantees for whistleblowers reporting potential violations of securities laws. In 2011, the SEC implemented rules (as subsequently amended) regarding the Dodd-Frank whistleblower program. Under SEC Rule 21F-17(a), no person may take an action to impede an individual from communicating directly...

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On 10 November 2023, the Luxembourg Constitutional Court concluded_ that §8(2) a) of the law on net wealth tax was contrary to the constitutional principle of equality. Pending legislative reform, the taxpayers concerned will be subject to the minimum net wealth tax of EUR 1,605 when their total balance sheet is between EUR 350,000 and EUR 2,000,000, instead of the minimum net wealth tax of EUR 4,815.   Background Luxembourg imposes net wealth tax (NWT) on Luxembourg companies based on their unitary value,...

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European Parliament supports new emissions rules for HGVs This week, the European Parliament adopted a negotiating position that supports rules to reduce air pollution from trucks and buses. The position was adopted with 445 votes in favor, 152 against, and 30 abstentions, showing a large majority of the Parliament is on board with the EU's objectives regarding emissions and the green transition overall. It also indicates Parliament is responding to citizens by fulfilling expectations to combat pollution, promote electric vehicles, and invest...

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The rapid advancement of technology is pushing the world into an unexplored digital age where the variety of devices and applications provides both businesses and consumers with a plethora of advantages as they go about their days. There are, however, two sides to the metaphorical coin of digital transformation, a.k.a. the consequences that arise from the swift onset of technology along the way. The most notable of these consequences currently observable has been a significant increase in energy demand...

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iLOQ is a technology disruptor that has transformed mechanical locking into highly functional, secure and sustainable digital access management. Our battery-free smart locks and keyless cellphone-based solutions provide benefits for building owners, property managers and residents alike by maximizing security, minimizing maintenance, administration and lifecycle costs, and creating smart living in multifamily properties. This year, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary. That’s two decades of innovating battery-free solutions that have completely revolutionized the landscape of the locking industry. What better...

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On August 28, 2023, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a proposed rule (https://www.regulations.gov/document/BIS-2023-0021-0001) that would revise the existing Section 232 exclusion process for steel and aluminum. If finalized, this would mark the sixth change (https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/232-steel) (https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/232-aluminum) to the exclusion process since its start in 2018. BIS could finalize the rule as well as changes to the process this winter. The changes could impact importers and users of steel and aluminum. Over the past five years,...

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