Never too late: if you missed the IPKat last week ...

After the excitement of hitting the half-century last week, it's back to basics again with 'Never Too Late' No.51.
As usual, our dear friend Alberto Bellan has given up some of his precious weekend time to update readers on the many and various items that have been plastered across the blogosphere by the IPKat, Merpel and their human colleagues.  This is what happened on this weblog last week:

* The Loi Hamon: France sets new standards for industrial and artisanal GIs

Following the recent successful outcome of the Geneva diplomatic conference on the revision of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications [on which see earlier Katpost here]. There's further news now, coming from France, where an Implementing Decree for the 2014 Loi Hamon was issued last week. Katfriend Marie-Gabrielle Plasseraud tells all.

* Monarchy in the United States: validity is king, for patents at any rate

This is the first post from Jeremy on IPBC Global 2015 Intellectual Property Business Conference of San Francisco. The first three sessions, dealing respectively with patent sales and purchases, inventor-entrepreneurs, and small businesses have been posted on the IP Finance blog here, here, and here. This post deals with a more mainstream IP topic, patent validity, which was the subject of the "Validity is king" breakout session. 

* Given up on following the EPO posts? Here's a recap of the year to date

Merpel has had a busy year to date, writing primarily about the governance crisis at the European Patent Office (EPO). This is a recap post written by the very same Merpel, who intends to bring new readers up to speed, as well as to assist regular readers who may have skipped past those posts and who want a synopsis of what exactly is rotten in the state of Eponia.

* Not the only regional ogre: does EPO have a soul-mate in OAPI?

If you thought that the European Patent Office (EPO) was the only international intellectual property administration that was coming under the scrutiny of an increasingly critical world for behaviour that ill befits its status, think again: the African Intellectual Property Organization -- better known by its French acronym OAPI -- seems to be suffering from the same malaise. The floor goes to Katfriend Tove Graulund.

* Lego 3D manikin mark valid, says General Court

Jeremy reports on Case T‑395/14 Best-Lock (Europe) Ltd v OHIM, Lego Juris A/S, a General Court of the European Union decision regarding the validity of a Lego Community trade mark that will be familiar to many readers who are children, have children or are movie buffs: the three-dimensional shape of a little Lego man.

* Swiss cheese, Innocence and a question of guilt: Garcia v Google explained

Valentina discusses the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversing its earlier decision in Garcia v Google [the first round was noted on the IPKat here].

* Harmonious global patent harmonisation? B+ subgroup asks for comments

The UK Intellectual Property Office's CEO, John Alty CB is chairman of a group of representatives from countries and organisations known as Group B+ which focuses on patent harmonisation. The Thoughts of Chairman Alty, which is in subject of this Jeremy’s post, are nothing less than Alty’s memo on the sub-group's progress.

* Slowly stopping counterfeits in transit: EU prepares to prepare to act ...

The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU agreed, on 10 June 2015, the final compromise text of the Council of the European Union on the proposal for a new EU Regulation on the (to be renamed) EU Trade Mark, which includes a provision which strengthens the fight against counterfeit goods in transit through the territory of the EU. Katfriend Joe Cohen (Collyer Bristow LLP) tells what it is about.

* French toast leaves a sour taste for Battistelli on EPO's big day

The management of the European Patent Office has generally been able to count on public expressions of support and smiling photo opportunities with national politicians when EPO President Benoît Battistelli goes offsite on his travels. What a shock it must have been, therefore, for him to be pointedly reminded of his shortcomings by a member of the French government when visiting his home country. Merpel tells all.

* When the business is over: an IP enthusiast's thoughts from San Francisco

IP conferencing may be hard, and even harder it would be without people (i) who actually attend certain events and (ii) who have enough energy to reflect and draft a report on the conference. Jeremy, who is one such specimen, drafts the final report of IPBCGlobal 2015 [reported in nine blogposts on IP Finance and one on this weblog too].

* Pots and kettles, glass houses and stones -- the USA and Canada exchange views on jurisdiction

In this guest post, long-time Katfriend Dan Bereskin (Bereskin & Parr LLP) gently chides the United States for its regular criticism of its northern neighbour's failure to take sufficient steps to deal with piracy and counterfeiting. 

* Going Dutch: a national initiative on data breach notification overtakes EU proposal

Valentina tells us all about recent Dutch Parliament reforms regarding the notification of data breaches.

* The Supreme Court in Starbucks (HK); on adjectives and reluctance to embrace change

Neil further reflects on UK Supreme Court’s decision in Starbucks (HK) and another v British Sky Broadcasting Group  [here], focusing on the Court’s use of adjectives and proof of goodwill.

* Lack of fair compensation requirement in UK private copying exception not supported by sufficient evidence, High Court rules

Many words have been written on Green J’s judgment in BASCA v The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, where compatibility of UK-version of private copying exception with EU law was at stake, most of them being at the very least misleading. Fortunately, the Kat-readership has eLAWnora, someone you can trust.

* Letter from AmeriKat: The patent "wrist" race begins, copyright bother for Bieber & 2016 election preview

Annsley serves a delicious summer cocktail of patent litigation, music, and politics. Enjoy it!

* Letter from Japan 1: product placement

(Almost) directly from Japan, Laetitia Lagarde pens the first of an occasional series of Japan-related blog posts. This one is on product placement.

******************

PREVIOUSLY, ON NEVER TOO LATE 

Never too late 50 [week ending on Sunday 7 June] - Swiss claims | Italian-sounding trade marks for cosmetics | “IP litigation and Enforcement” event | Saving WiFi | Spy scandal at the EPO | Rihanna v DC Comics | KitKat trade mark | Taste trade marks in the Netherlands | Connectivity and human rights | Trade secrets, client confidentiality and privilege | 3-d printing and counterfeiting | Ericsson v Apple in the FRAND battlefield.

Never too late 49 [week ending on Sunday 31 May] - Another copyright-exhaustion-and-software reference to the CJEU | ORO trade marks and GC | Patent Reform in EU | Copyright in the Bahamas | More and more references to the CJEU: communication to the public and linking | Trade secrets and the FoMo phenomenon | Independence of EPO’s BoA.

Never too late 48 [week ending on Sunday 31 May] - The meaning of EPO appeal system | 3D Printing and the law | Epo and external investigation firms | Umbrella designs | US Supreme Court in Commil USA, LLC v Cisco Systems | European Inventor Award | FIFA and brand integrity | Warner-Lambert v Actavis |  Wine in Black GmbH v OHIM | IP and busking | Swiss-style claims.

Never too late 47 [week ending on Sunday 24 May]  - Nicolas Sarkozy and the IP | Another reference on TM licences to the CJEU | UPC test-drive | Swatch v Swatchball | New Lisbon Treaty on appellations of origin and geographical indications | UP renewal fees | Synthon v Teva | GC on Yoshida | UPC Court fees event | EPO staff under fire | The trade-secret option | Damages |AstraZeneca AB & Another v KRKA dd Novo Mesto & Another | F1 back on stage.