The IPKat's not quite sure what it's doing on the website of the Official Journal of the European Union, or whether it has any legal status, but on Wednesday there appeared a
56-page Explanatory Report on the Convention on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (the Lugano Convention of 30 October 2007), penned by Fausto Pocar (Professor of International Law at the University of Milan). The report has lots to say about intellectual property: you can read the IP bits on PatLit
here.
Iconic children's favourites Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck (
right) are among the Beatrix Potter characters destined for a make-over as their publisher Frederick Warne and licensing agent Chorion determine how to make

them more palatable to the more sophisticated tastes of the 21st century child. According to
this article in
The Guardian, this is an exercise in 'democratising' what is seen as a posh-to-middle-class brand. The IPKat speculates that the made-over Jemima Puddle-Duck might look something like the picture on the left.
Maybe, Jemima could look a little more like Daffy, Jeremy fisher like Kermit, Mrs Tiggywinkle with her launderomat like Sonic...
ReplyDeleteJust a thought. When does copyright run out and what do you think of Micky Mouse legislation that enables figures like this to become trademarks, thereby being protected for perpetuity?