Today’s News Roundup—July 5, 2023 - International Trademark Association

INTA Receives Certification from Climate Partner for Carbon Offset Contributions at 2023 Annual Meeting

INTA has received its certification from Climate Partner confirming its carbon offset contributions for travel to the 2023 Annual Meeting in Singapore. Thanks to registrants’ contributions to the initiative, INTA offset 181,430 kilograms of carbon through donations to Climate Partner’s 1t CO2 + 10 k Plastic program, every metric ton of carbon that is offset not only funds forest protection, solar energy, and other carbon neutralizing projects, but also pays for the removal of 10 kilograms of plastic from coastal regions.

The Brands for a Better Society Committee is proud that its concentrated campaign to raise awareness about the impacts of travel has resulted in an 800 percent increase in contributions from the 2022 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Thank you to all who donated. You are making a difference and setting a standard! But we can do better: out of 8000+ Annual Meeting registrants in Singapore, only 105 donated to the campaign. We are therefore calling on everyone traveling to INTA events to be a part of the solution! Help us reach INTA’s goal of becoming a carbon neutral conference organization.

~ Rudy Gaines (Creative Business Growth, USA)
Brands for a Better Society Committee

INTA Joins EUIPO-International IP Enforcement Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

Key European and international decision-makers, law enforcement authorities, government officials, multinational companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), consumer representatives, and other relevant players gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, in mid-June to discuss ways to improve protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights in the European Union and around the globe at the International IP Enforcement Summit. The event was organized by the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the European Commission, and the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development chaired a breakout session on international cooperation on trade, featuring panelists from INTA, the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and the National Customs Agency of Bulgaria. Representing INTA, Anticounterfeiting Committee member Brigitte Spiegeler (Heffgels, Spiegeler Advocaten, the Netherlands) provided insights and recommendations for best practices to tackle counterfeits as they relate to global trade and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The discussion stressed the urgent need for innovation and data sharing.

~ Brigitte Spiegeler (Heffgels, Spiegeler Advocaten, the Netherlands)
Anticounterfeiting Committee

Istanbul Roundtable Offers Tips for Protecting a Global Trademark Portfolio

Turkish trademark practitioners gathered at an INTA roundtable in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 13 to discuss the management and protection of global trademark portfolios. The event was hosted by INTA member Moroglu Arseven. Speakers included Myrtha Hurtado Rivas (Nestlé, Switzerland) and Jeroen Lallemand (Knijff Trademark Attorneys, the Netherlands).

Ms. Hurtado Rivas recommended having organized archives for major brands and a well-functioning team, identifying the right colleagues with whom to work, conducting periodic registry reviews for trademark portfolios, and using digital tools, especially blockchain-based systems. Mr. Lallemand discussed the importance of providing multiple options to potential clients while accounting for factors that drive the decision-making of purchasing search tools such as price perception and price sensitivity.

Young practitioners, in particular, were eager to learn more about the in-house perspective from Ms. Hurtado Rivas as well as new databases to check while conducting industry-specific searches.

~ Ezgi Baklaci Gülkokar (Moroglu Arseven, Turkey)
Leadership Development Committee

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.