Brexit and Brands Dr. Wiebke Baars - Taylor Wessing
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Brexit and Brands
Dr. Wiebke Baars
Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2019
Private and Confidential
)
23 June 2016
2
)
Brexit - indicative timeline
Transition period?
2017 2018 2019
29 March 2017 8 June 2017 Autumn 2018 Vote failed, 30 March 2019
Article 50 UK general Finish withdrawal discussions and UK leaves EU unless
triggered election negotiations and negotiations otherwise agreed – WA or
shape for future ongoing No Deal
Early 2018 11 December Before March 2019 31 December
29 April 2017 June 2017 June 2022
2018
European Council adopt Face to face UK “Great Repeal European Parliament 2020
Scheduled UK
UK parliament
negotiating guidelines negotiations begin Act” passed vote on deal Transition period
general election
vote on (if UK parliament ends (extendable
Withdrawal have agreed it) by up to 2 years)
Agreement
3
)
Brexit scenarios
AG opinion - UK can rescind Article 50 notification unilaterally!
1. No Brexit! ???
2. Deal - current Transition period from 29/3/2019 to 31/12//2020 or later – business as usual
Withdrawal Pan-EU rights in the UK - Withdrawal Act sets out minimum standards; UK legislation will flesh out detail
Agreement Pan-EU rights in EU - EUIPO Q&A relevant but ECJ will ultimately decide
UK leaves the EU on 29/2019
EU law ceases to apply in the UK immediately
3. No Deal Pan-EU rights in the UK - No Withdrawal Agt; The Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 apply NEW!
Pan-EU rights in the EU - EUIPO Q&A relevant but ECJ will ultimately decide
Defer exit by e.g. 3 months to allow further negotiations?
4. Deal – other Still likely to be a transition period?
Likely to be the same as 2. from an IP perspective
4
)
Two relevant scenarios for IP
No Deal Deal
UK exits 29/3/2019 UK exits 31/12/2020 or later
How will pan-EU rights be dealt with? How will pan-EU rights be dealt with?
In the UK In the EU In the UK In the EU
The Trade Marks EUIPO Q&A guidance Withdrawal Agreement EUIPO Q&A guidance
(Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) relevant but CJEU will + UK legislation to relevant but CJEU will
Regulations 2018 ultimately decide – implement & flesh out ultimately decide –
(the Regulations) v. uncertain (similar to the Regulations?) v. uncertain
5)
Comparison
Issue No Deal Brexit Deal Brexit
EUTM UK comparable registration As for No Deal Brexit
Automatic & for free No mention of opt out - yet
Registrations No loss of priority, filing or seniority dates
Opt out possible NEW!
EUTM - EU27 only
EUTM 9 month priority for UK application As for No Deal Brexit
No loss of priority, filing or seniority dates
Applications All objections/oppositions dealt with again
EUTM application - EU27 only
Internationals As above but UK talking to WIPO As for No Deal Brexit
Use Pre-exit use of EUTM anywhere in EU counts as use of No revocation of comparable UKTM on basis that
comparable UKTM post-exit corresponding EUTM not used in UK pre-exit
Pre-exit use in UK counts, in principle, as use of EUTM As for No Deal Brexit
post-exit – CJEU decision required
Reputation Comparable UKTM benefits (post-exit) from pre-exit reputation As for No Deal Brexit
of EUTM in EU
Unclear if EUTM benefits (post-exit) from pre-exit rep. in UK As for No Deal Brexit
6)
Comparison
Issue No Deal Brexit Deal Brexit
Attacks on EUTMs Only prior rights in existence at decision date relevant – As for No Deal Brexit
Results of EUTM invalidity/revocation actions do not affect Results of pending EUTM invalidity/revocation actions apply to
comparable UKTM UK comparable right (if grounds apply to UK)
Attacks on UKTMs Prior EUTMs filed pre-exit probably still taken into Likely to be same as for No Deal Brexit
account in post-exit opposition/invalidity actions NEW!
Infringement – Confined to UK As for No Deal Brexit (but will there be a separate deal on this?)
UK courts
If action pending at exit for infringement in UK of EUTM - Likely to be the same as for No Deal Brexit
action continues under EUTM (+ UK court can invalidate/
revoke comparable UKTM if c/c for invalidity/revocation of
EUTM and grant injunction re comparable UKTM)
NEW!
UK not bound by ECJ preliminary rulings post-exit UK bound by post-exit ECJ preliminary rulings requested by the
UK pre-exit
Infringement - Cannot decide infringement of EUTM in UK As for No Deal Brexit (but will there be a separate deal on this?)
member states
courts UK will recognise existing injunctions unless court orders Likely to be the same as No Deal Brexit
otherwise
NEW!
7)
No Deal: What to do now about filing
1. Urgent action?
1.35m registered EUTMs
˃ Yes – if no Deal – UK out on 29 March 2019
86,000 pending EUTMs
2. EUTM registrations 615,000 registered UKTMs
˃ No need to re-file as UKTM or IR(UK)
28,000 pending UKTMs
˃ Opt out?
3. EUTM applications that are pending now
˃ If will register by 29/3/2019, almost certainly no need to refile separate UKTM or IR(UK)
˃ If wont register by 29/3/2019 – no general need to refile separate UKTM or IR(UK) now; better to wait so as to preserve priority/filing date
˃ Exception – if UK protection is required urgently and any loss of priority is not problematic
˃ Potentially wasted if Deal Brexit
EUTM filed on 1/1/2015 but 9 months to file same mark in UK -
still pending on 29/3/2019 deemed filing date will be 1/1/2015
8)
No Deal: What to do now about filing
4. EUTM applications you are about to file now
˃ Unlikely to register by 29/3/2019 even filed on "fast track"
˃ Consider filing UKTM or IR(UK) now rather than having to refile post-29/3/2019 relying on the 9 month priority period –
˃ Worthwhile if UK protection required urgently
˃ Potentially wasted if Deal Brexit
EUTM registered on 1/1/2015 used
throughout UK only. Intend to use on
continent from 2020. Important brand.
Consider refiling as EUTM.
9)
Parallel imports
Rights exhausted pre-exit remain exhausted - Deal and probably also No Deal
No Deal - The Intellectual Property (Exhaustion of Rights) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 - current regime continues for UK
˃ "UK will unilaterally align to the EU/EEA exhaustion regime from Exit day to provide continuity in the immediate term for businesses and consumers
and ensure that parallel imports of goods, such as pharmaceuticals, can continue from the EU/EEA."
˃ "We’re currently considering all options for how the exhaustion regime should operate after this temporary fix."
˃ "Any substantial changes to the exhaustion regime will occur only after a full research programme and consultation."
Assuming the EU does not reciprocate
˃ Goods put on the market in the EU/EEA will be able to circulate into the UK
˃ Goods put on the market in the UK will not be able to circulate around the rest of the EU/EEA
˃ Benefits those in the UK who rely on importing goods from the EU/EEA e.g. for sale on the domestic market
˃ Not so good for many UK-based rights holders and distributors who will have to compete with EU/EEA imports on the domestic market but may not be
able to sell into the EU/EEA themselves
What regime to adopt going forwards? UK only (national exhaustion), EU/EEA (regional exhaustion) or anywhere (international exhaustion)
10)
IP-related agreements
Might need amending
No Deal helps
Any licence in existence on 29/3/2019 which authorise the doing of acts in the UK which would otherwise infringe an EUTM:
˃ continues to authorise the doing of acts in the UK which would otherwise infringe the comparable UKTM which derives from the
existing EUTM
˃ subject to the terms on which the relevant licence was granted
˃ subject to any agreement to the contrary between the licensee and the licensor
˃ with such modifications to the terms as are necessary for their application in the UK
Similar for consents (and documents re. security interests)
References to an existing EUTM in any document made before exit day shall, unless there is evidence that the document was not
intended to have effect in the UK, be read on and after exit day as including references to the comparable UKTM
Still need to review agreements – depends how drafted, governing law, jurisdiction, co-existence (will not clauses…)?
11)
Top tips
1. Try to get all EUTMs registered before 29/3/2019
2. Consider separate UK or IR(UK) application if EUTM wont register by 29/3/2019 and (i) UK protection required quickly and (ii) no
problems if any loss of priority
3. Renew/maintain all UK rights unless clearly irrelevant to the business
4. Consider what advantages/disadvantages exist from accelerating or delaying disputes involving UK and EU rights
5. Make sure mix of UK and non-UK prior rights relied upon if attacking EUTM or UKTM
6. Carefully consider strategy for EUTM infringement actions
7. Get business lobbying e.g. on parallel imports?
8. Review all agreements (e.g. co-existence agreements)
9. Record assignments, licences and security interests at UKIPO
10. Review budgets – new filings, possible need for separate actions!
12)
It all comes down to…
13)
Ihre Ansprechpartnerin
Wiebke Baars ist spezialisiert auf die Beratung und Prozessführung im gewerblichen Rechtsschutz und Wettbewerbsrecht. Ihr Tätigkeitsbereich
umfasst weiterhin die Betreuung von deutschen, europäischen und internationalen Markenanmeldungen sowie die Durchführung von Widerspruchs-
und Beschwerdeverfahren vor dem DPMA und dem EUIPO. Insbesondere im Markenrecht gestaltet sie seit vielen Jahren Lizenz- und
Abgrenzungsvereinbarungen. Zu ihren Mandanten gehören deutsche und internationale Unternehmen aus dem Bereich der Medienwirtschaft sowie
der Mode-, Spielwaren- und Lebensmittelindustrie.
Wiebke Baars studierte in Hamburg Jura und Journalistik und legte in den Jahren 1994 und 2000 ihre juristischen Staatsexamina ab. 1997
absolvierte sie das LL.M. Studium am University College London und promovierte 1999 zu einem rundfunkrechtlichen Thema.
Dr. Wiebke Baars, Zu den Veröffentlichungen von Wiebke Baars gehört die Abhandlung "Kooperation und Kommunikation durch Landesmedienanstalten" (Nomos
LL.M. (UCL) 1999). Wiebke Baars veröffentlicht regelmäßig Beiträge in Fachzeitschriften. Darüber hinaus ist sie Dozentin im Rahmen der Fachanwaltsausbildung
Partner gewerblicher Rechtsschutz zum Thema Designschutz.
Hamburg Wiebke Baars ist Fachanwältin für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz. Sie wird im JUVE Handbuch und von den Legal 500 als häufig empfohlene Anwältin
+49 40 36803-145 im Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht genannt.
w.baars@taylorwessing.com
Sie ist Mitglied der Gesellschaft für Urheberrecht und Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz GRUR und der International Trademark Organisation INTA. Dort
ist Wiebke Baars Mitglied des GI Committee.
Beratungsschwerpunkte
Trade Marks & Designs Sprachen
Urheber- & Medienrecht Deutsch, Englisch
“
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
„sehr gut im Markenrecht, durchsetzungsstark, auch in Verhandlungen, stets angenehm und fair“, „wirklich gute und empfehlenswerte IP-Rechtlerin“, Wettbewerber
JUVE Handbuch 2018/2019
Häufig empfohlen für Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht, Legal 500 2018
„Hervorgehoben als „Trade Mark Star“, Managing Intellectual Property 2018
Hervorgehoben als Best Lawyer für Gewerblicher Rechtschutz und Werberecht, Best Lawyers in Germany, Handelsblatt 2018
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