By: Jonathan Walfisz
Every Tuesday and Friday, WTR presents a round-up of news, developments and insights from across the trademark sphere. In our latest edition, we look at how there has been a significant trademark filings drop from China to the US, how UK politicians continue to use major brands on social media, looking at a possible agreement on IP rights between the US and India, and much more. Coverage this time from Trevor Little (TL), Bridget Diakun (BD), Jonathan Walfisz (JW) and Tim Lince (TJL).
Market radar:
CCFN calls for strong stance on GIs – In testimony before the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) this week, the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) has called on the administration to secure "firm and explicit commitments" with trading partners to assure the future use of "specific generic food and beverage names targeted by EU monopolisation efforts, and to reject the use of GIs as barriers to trade". CCFN senior director Shawna Morris testified: "There is a persistent push by the European Union and other European interests to dismantle competition and erect barriers to trade which must be more strongly combatted. Across all markets, but particularly those with which the United States has a free trade agreement or is in the process of pursuing a free trade agreement, we urge the administration to secure explicit commitments from our trading partners that build upon the positive precedent established in the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) whereby market access rights were clearly and definitively affirmed for a non-exhaustive list of common used product terms." Morris said the list of common terms in the USMCA was the type of tool that "should be carried forward aggressively by the administration in order to safeguard our World Trade Organization and free trade agreement market access rights in the strongest manner possible." CCFN provided written and oral testimony as the USTR prepares its annual Special 301 Report, expected to be released in the coming months. The call serves as a reminder of how GIs have become the key IP battleground in trade negotiations around the world. (TL)
Read more >> https://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/brand-management/best-response-trademark-invoice-scam-new-uk-ip-minister-calls-strong-gi-stance
