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The HouseMARQUES interview: Ingrid De Groot
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 MARQUES Internal Relations Officer Ingrid De Groot talks about her role and about managing the MARQUES website as Web Content Manager, picks out some of her highlights from the past 10 years and explains why her job sometimes requires diplomacy.
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Field Notes from the Outer Borders
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The IP Outer Borders Team collects and reports on unusual trade marks from around the globe. This month: the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra creates a sound logo.
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WIPO SCT – Designs Team report
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German Design Act modernised
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 MARQUES participated in the 30th meeting of the WIPO Standing Committee on Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) in November 2013 in Geneva. Peter Gustav Olson from MAQS Law Firm in Copenhagen represented MARQUES.
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With the new German Design Act, which will enter into force on January 1, 2014, a number of significant changes and new innovations will come into force.
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The most important aspects of the new Design Act are: - The cumbersome and old-fashioned term “Geschmacksmuster” has been replaced by the term “eingetragenes Design” (“registered Design”). Consequently, the name of the law “Geschmacksmustergesetz” has been replaced by the short version “Designgesetz” (“Design Act”).
- An invalidity procedure before the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO) will be introduced, which will be comparable to the revocation procedure established for registered Community designs. This is innovative as, to date, it has been necessary to initiate an invalidity action before a German District Court in order to cancel a German design. This new approach will open up a more cost-effective and (hopefully) less time-consuming invalidity procedure. Besides the invalidity action before the GPTO, there will also be the possibility of filing a counter claim in the case of pending infringement proceedings.
- In line with the application procedure of OHIM, it will no longer be necessary to provide a product indication to obtain a filing date. The requirement of identical classes shall be cancelled with regard to multiple applications.
The implementation of an invalidity procedure before the GPTO and the adoption of the internationally recognised term “Design” is welcomed, and will strengthen the importance of designs as a protective measure at a national level in Germany. Oliver Nilgen, Meissner Bolte, member of the Designs Team
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Common Communication on class headings
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 OHIM's Common Communication on the Common Practice on the General Indications of the Nice Class Headings was published on 20th November.
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New common practice on B&W marks
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 Under a new common practice endorsed by the OHIM Administrative Board on 19th November 2013, black and white marks no longer automatically cover all colours.
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OHIM perceptions survey published
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New OHIM website launched
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Nine out of 10 Europeans have not bought counterfeit products or downloaded illegally in the past 12 months, according to a report on perceptions of IP published by OHIM in November
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 OHIM’s new website was launched on 2nd December.
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WIPO report examines brands
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MARQUES Media Roundup
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Investment in branding comes to nearly $0.5 trillion a year, exceeding investments on R&D and design, according to WIPO’s latest World Intellectual Property Report, published in November.
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 Follow twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and the blogs Class 46 and Class 99 for the latest news and debate around trade marks.
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Issue 035
