IPKAT AT INTA: 1

The IPKat is enjoying pressing the flesh at the 126th INTA Annual Meeting at Atlanta, Georgia. He has spent much of today tackling the sordid subject of trade mark dilution. Why should trade marks be protected against dilution, and is the law in a state of confusion in the US and the EU, the IPKat wants to know. Is the rationale for dilution moral (in other words, is dilution inherently wrong in itself?) or does it exist to ensure the continued well-being of the market, viewed either from the point of view of the consumer, or from that of competitors in the market-place? There seems to be no-clear cut consensus, at least among those of the 7,000 attendees whose opinion the IPKat has sought. However, exciting developments in this field are imminent. The INTA has completed a major study of the subject and has presented proposals for reform of the US law, which it expects to be adopted as a legislative bill in the near future. Also, watch out for a new development in the UK, which the IPKat will blog on Wednesday 5 May.