As we advised in LimeGreen IP News on Friday 24 June, the result of the UK referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the EU may cause some uncertainty for some time from a brand protection perspective. It is important to remember that the UK is still a member of the EU. The UK has not yet formally notified the EU of its intention to leave, so the two year period during which it will negotiate its exit and any on-going arrangements has not yet started. With no clear plan for exiting the EU yet in sight, we recommend that clients review their trade mark portfolios now to consider whether UK trade marks ought to be filed to supplement existing EUTM protection.
Current position
There is as yet no consensus as to what the UK IP position will be on Brexit because it will inevitably depend on what subsequent arrangements are reached.
At this stage, it seems likely that there will be a number of possible outcomes.
Contact us for more information via: Brexit@hoganlovells.com and keep up to date with the latest through our Constitutional Change Taskforce site.