
1st June: the dawn of a new era in the European patent system
The new Unitary Patent system and the Unified Patent Court will enter into force on June 1, 2023, and with them comes a real revolution in the world of European patents.

Iñigo Pradera
Forum for patent, trademarks, domain names and digital law.
The new Unitary Patent system and the Unified Patent Court will enter into force on June 1, 2023, and with them comes a real revolution in the world of European patents.
Iñigo Pradera
We analyze all the novelties and new registration strategies that the new partial forfeiture procedure in Argentina will allow to establish and that were not possible before.
Carlos Guillermo Alcaráz
E-games have been an entertainment around the world for many years evolving into a prominent profession. Within the intellectual property, one must have knowledge of which area offers the necessary protection as a result of the branches of creation.
Just as humanity went through historical periods in which its intellectual property rights were not protected, today it again faces the risk of having its rights threatened, not by a human being, but by a machine. Artificial Intelligence technologies have reached a level where their use allows the development of works subject to copyright.
Daniela Lin
The acting president of the BPTO, Júlio César Moreira, presented last Tuesday, April 18th, at a breakfast promoted by ABPI (Intellectual Property Brazilian Association), the autarchy's Strategic Plan for the next four years.
Daniela Lin
H&A will be included in The Patent Lawyer Magazine Law Firm Rankings 2023.
H&A
This article deals with sustainable development and the need for incentives for the preservation of the environment (clean and alternative technologies), with the contribution of Industrial Property.
Rogerio Rovetta
Fight against piracy is a major challenge, not only for IP rights holders but also for professionals and for the judiciary and other officials. We review the panorama of the different legal alternatives in Argentina, their respective evaluation and a synthesis of the pros and cons of each legal remedies.
Javier Alejandro Papaño
Following the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2022, the European Patent Office (EPO) has announced a general increase in official fees by 4-6% from 1 April 2023- New schedule is available on EPO site.
H&A
Important changes review regarding the regulation of consumer law.
H&A
We analyze the current situation of patent applications related to the metaverse: real examples of patents already granted, the role of Patent Offices according to their country of origin and the challenges ahead in this path towards innovation and industrial protection.
Isabel de Pablo
Ensure your rights in Latin America. Visit LATAM Guidelines in our website.
H&A
We find out for sure: we ask an AI directly if it is capable of drafting a patent and, during the conversation... we find surprises.
Gustavo González
The beginning of the "sunrise period" implies that the applicant/owner of an European patent (or SPC) must make decisions and take certain actions, even before the entry into force of the unitary patent system, to ensure the proper working of its Intellectual Property strategy.
Manuel Pérez
Find out about the new procedure for challenging decisions of the SPTO that exhaust administrative remedies, as well as the courts that will assume this jurisdiction as of 14 January 2023.
José Luis López
Before ending its activities and saying goodbye, the Board of Directors of the INPI left, at the end of 2022, decisions on Technology Contracts that had long been discussed by specialists in the area of intellectual property, with positive perspectives for innovation in the country.
Starting on January 1, 2023, INPI/Brazil published phase IV of the Patent Prosecution Highway
Recent decision given by the Brazilian Supreme Court gives hope by admitting the possibility of Courts to adjust patent terms in a case-by-case manner.
We analyze the evolution and outcome of the litigation process over the sale of Lidl's Monsieur Cuisine competing against the most famous food processor on the market: Vorwerk's Thermomix.
Miguel Fariña
While China is still the world's largest producer of counterfeits, it is also true that it has become the country which files the most Trademarks and Patents in the EU and is on its way to becoming the world's largest power.
Sonsoles Baylina
Over the last few months, we had some news in Latin America: Chile and Mexico.
Borja Barrutieta
The possibility of invoking the lack of genuine use of the earlier trademark in the reply to the provisional refusal on relative grounds is a new means of defense for the Applicant of a trademark.
H&A will be present at the conference attending to any queries you may have; we wanted to welcome all conference attendees by developing a map of Madrid to help you enjoy some of the sites of our wonderful city.
H&A
IAM Patent 1000 has included several H&A’s European and Latin American professionals in its 2022 edition.
H&A
Financial Times publishes the 4th edition of Europe's Patent Law Firms 2022 and highlights H&A as one of the best IP firms.
H&A
The Madrid Protocol has become an important ally in the internationalization of trademarks, providing broad protection in a simple, agile and cheap way, whose advantages will be addressed in this article.
Daniela Lin
It is our 40th anniversary: H&A celebrates 40 years defending the value of IP rights, that which makes us unique.
H&A
Should therapeutic and diagnostic methods be patentable? This subject has always generated discussions about patentability and arguments about the limits that should be acceptable.
Rogerio Rovetta
Despite the available capital and the sensitivity of not protecting themselves from free riders or competitors, a large majority of unicorns fail to register their IP rights.
Borja Barrutieta
The unitary patent system will enter into force in the coming months. We reveal how it works, how to request the unitary effect and when this new unitary patent is more convenient than the conventional European patent validations.
Manuel Pérez
The new ordinance establishes changes in the provisions of the preliminary requirement for patent applications that are pending technical exam.
Rogerio Rovetta
The CNMC determines the requirements for which influencers or vloggers must be subject to audiovisual regulation.
Lucía Martín-Sanz
The virtual world leaves some unknowns. We address the trademark rights of the metaverse.
Alejandro Guirado
Trademark owners in Chile can start using the Madrid System to protect their trademarks in the other territories party to the System, by filing a single international application.
Sonsoles Baylina
The development of the digital economy and new technologies have led to an increase in the disclosure of personal information and the transfer of personal data, as well as the exchange of this information between public and private operators within and beyond our borders.
The Unitary Patent has a number of advantages, especially in terms of maintenance costs, but it also has a number of disadvantages which may not be so obvious at first sight, but which can be decisive from the point of view of strategic patent portfolio management.
Iñigo Pradera
Discover the preventive actions that must be taken in order to properly project brand protection into the new virtual environments or metaverses.
Jorge Lorenzo
This agreement will allow the participants to use the result of the examination of the INPI/Brazil patent application to accelerate the analysis in France and vice versa.
H&A
Patents in Latin American countries: exceptions to the rights conferred, patentable subject matter and potential markets.
H&A
The Board of Judges of the Barcelona Mercantile Courts has approved a protocol for on-call service and rapid action, and a preventive and continuous on-call service during the event.
Maria Diví
Creating a more competitive economy with a higher employment rate depends on a variety of factors, but an effective system for the protection and promotion of intellectual property is undoubtedly among the most important.
Rogerio Rovetta
Since then, many changes have been added, allowing the co-ownership and the multiclass system for cases through the Protocol, a total novelty for the Brazilian trademark system.
Discover the main controversies concerning domain names, the four kinds of conflicts and the possible means for solution.
The emergence of new technologies in patent translation has improved productivity and lowered translation costs. However, it is essential to involve professional translators in the process to avoid errors that can have irreversible legal consequences.
Alfons Femenia
Brazil includes position marks in the modalities of trademark registration.
H&A
The Law 14,200 of 2021, makes it possible to temporarily break patents on vaccines and medicines to face health emergencies.
Check if you have taken all measures for protecting your EU trademarks after Brexit
H&A
Characteristics and consequences of the inclusion of letters of consent in the Mexican trademark system and their contribution to increase the chances of success of a trademark application.
Josué Cordero
New Brazilian law revokes the prior consent of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) for the granting of patent applications for pharmaceutical products and processes.
Rafaela Mattos
Since 1998, Argentina has been discussing the definitive accession to the PCT, but it is yet to be resolved. We develop the background to the issue, Argentina's current profile and the outlook for the coming years.
Already in many countries, Patent and Trademark Offices (PTOs) and other IP (private and public) bodies have been promoting and developing action plans for the inclusion and visibility of LBGTQIA+ for years.
Isabel de Pablo
We look back, and review what exactly Digital Law is, and the importance of the subjects regulated through it.
Joaquín Abajo
H&A recognized by IAM Patent 1000. The World’s Leading Patent Professionals is a unique guide that identifies the top patent professionals in key jurisdictions around the globe.
H&A
IP legislation in Latin America. New H&A online guide
H&A
Successful domain name recovery before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): H&A's Digital Law and Technology Innovation Department was successful in recovering a domain name for a major pharmaceutical company.
Maria Diví
In the midst of the post-COVID health crisis, China is sweeping the market overall and within the Intellectual Property market in particular. We point out in which IP form it stands out and the level of growth behind.
Borja Barrutieta
As expected and feared by a large part of the Intellectual Property world, Brazilian Supreme Court has finally ruled that Sole Paragraph 40 of its Patent Law is unconstitutional.
H&A
In Argentina, an observation can be filed against a patent application, as long as it does not meet some of the patentability requirements - novelty, inventive step and industrial application - or does not meet legal requirements, for example clarity.
Ariel Ibañez
Justice Toffoli proposes to stop the extension of the term for all patents because he considers it unconstitutional.
Rogerio Rovetta
On STAR WARS Day, H&A comments on a decision of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center resulting from the registration of several "STAR WARS" domains and also analyses the requirements.
Marta Gimeno
BRPTO (INPI) publishes new rule to continue the plan to reduce the backlog in the technical examination of patent applications
Rogerio Rovetta
The Brazilian Supreme Court deciding over the constitutionality challenge filed against the sole paragraph 40 of the Brazilian Patent Law will issue its ruling in the next days.
Rogerio Rovetta
We highlight the most relevant key points that regulate claims amendments before the EPO, a complex and fundamental issue in order to obtain the grant of a European patent.
Manuel Pérez
In the fight against the pandemic, the issue of compulsory patent licenses, (sometimes called “patent breach”) due to public interest or national emergency, is notoriously one of the most important issues in the area of intellectual property as a means of placing in second plan economic interests in the name of the greater good: public health.
Rafaela Mattos
Analysis of various actions to prevent well-known trademarks from being vulgarised and becoming generic, even leading to their extinction.
Laura Carpintero
Cross-claim lawsuit between Lidl and Vorwerk for alleged infringement of the Thermomix patent in Spain by Lidl's Monsieur Cuisine food processor.
Miguel Fariña
An overview of the main penalties for breaches of data protection regulations.
Lucía Martín-Sanz
Since 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom has no longer applied the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Check out the new landscape in personal data protection after the Brexit.
Maria Diví
The widespread use of influencers in social netwoks has made the creation of a code of conduct a mandatory task.
Lucía Martín-Sanz
Due to the success of the Plan to Combat the Backlog and the project to standardize the modalities of priority processing, the BRPTO and DIRPA decided to bring PPH phase II forward to 01/01/21.
Rafaela Mattos
The study aims to provide an overview of current knowledge related to RNA vaccines in a more advanced clinical stage, based on patent documents related to these technologies.
Beatriz Pereira
Official fees of the Spanish Patent and Trade Mark office have been increased.
H&A
A few months after the disabling of the Privacy Shield framework, we analysed the alternatives being chosen by some of the main online service providers.
Joaquín Abajo
Analisys of the Trade Secrets E.U. Directive in Germany, Italy and the UK.
Borja Barrutieta
Different elements and circumstances must be considered when choosing between a patent, a trademark, a copyright or keeping our innovations secret.
Alfonso Sabán
Voluntary amendments to patent applications made by holders after exams will continue to be accepted by the BPTO.
Beatriz Pereira
The Colombian Trademark Office added and modified some aspects of the trademark procedure.
Adriana Peñaranda
Highlighting relevant aspects on the patent field in the new federal Law in Mexico.
Karla Islas
The renowned ranking THE LEGAL 500, in its 2020 edition has mentioned our Colombian office as a specialist firm in Intellectual Property.
H&A
Highlighting relevant aspects of the new trademark Law in Mexico.
Manuel Tiedemann
Through Resolution No. 59669 of 2020, the Colombian Patent Office modified (and clarified) some aspects of the patent process.
Adriana Peñaranda
This new Law includes an important amount of precisions in the field of inventions and trademarks, as well as faculties for the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property.
H&A
The Managing IP Directory cites every year the best professionals and firms in IP matters, chosen by the colleagues and clients. Several professionals at H&A and the Latam branches have been mentioned this year among best professionals.
H&A
AMCHAM Arena | Pitch Day Regional of RJ, with a panel of judges formed by the H&A Brazil team.
Beatriz Pereira
Facebook will help to protect the intellectual property of your photographs with "RIGHTS MANAGER FOR IMAGES".
Federico Jover
The Myanmar Parliament passed a new Trademark Law to update Myanmar's trademark legislation, to bring it into line with the prevailing international standards.
Sonsoles Baylina
We are launching our Portuguese Website focused to the Brazilian Market.
H&A
The new Patent Law will come into force in Mexico. This law puts in writing some practices executed by the applicants and patent authorities and incorporates others that will be new.
H&A
Manipulating people's minds is no longer a potential situation. It’s now a real possibility. Neuro- rights are needed to set real obligations for governments, private sectors and citizens.
Natalia Rigueiro
An application for registration or registration with a single owner can be transformed into a trademark application or registration with more than one owner.
Beatriz Pereira
The Nagoya Protocol is an international and multilateral agreement supplementary to the Convention on Biological Diversity that establish rules on access to genetic resources and equitable distribution of the benefits derived from their use and appropriate transfer of relevant technologies.
Beatriz Pereira
A breach, exposure, violation or any other damage to personal data of users of a COVID-related application would be catastrophic for the trust relationship in the use of the app.
Mario Romero
Brexit will not affect the rights of holders of international registrations protected in the EU. WIPO and UKIPO sign an agreement regarding international trademarks after Brexit.
H&A
The Brazilian PTO will apply two new modalities of priority processing of patent applications.
Amanda Quintella
Patent examination decisions are growing and backlog decreased in the first semester of 2020.
Beatriz Pereira
Brazilian startups will be able to request to the BPTO that their patent applications be examined with priority.
Amanda Quintella
Reinforcement of the services concerning Plant Variety Rights and Audiovisual Law, service areas on the H&A website.
H&A
With new legislation regulating the use of cannabis-based medicines in Argentina and Brazil, the emerging market is an open playing field for pharmaceutical brands looking to making a mark in Latin America.
Daniela Lin
Madrid High Court of Justice has ruled that the term "YOUTUBER" has become generic in Spain in the case BOLILLOTUBER v. YOUTUBE.
Alfonso Sabán
The world-famous social network Twitter, sanctioned in Spain by the AEPD with a 30,000 euros fine for violating the LSSI.
Joaquín Abajo
Study of the protection of cannabis-based products in Brazil. The cannabidiol.
Daniela Lin
Study of the protection of cannabis-based products in Argentina.
Carlos Guillermo Alcaráz
H&A ranked as one of the "Best European companies and firms in the field of patents" by Financial Times.
H&A
Adriana Peñaranda, director of H&A Office in Colombia, “recommended expert” in the patent field in the prestigious IAM directory.
H&A
H&A resumes on-site activities in Spain once The Spanish Government has not decreed the renewal of the state of alarm.
H&A
An administrative fine of 25,000 euros (twenty-five thousand euros) is imposed by the Spanish Data protection Agency on Glovo for not having appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO).
Maria Diví
H&A Portugal re-opens after the pandemic situation. Our offices in Lisbon are now open to the public and original documents can be now sent to them.
H&A
By means of the lawsuit filed by H&A, the Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona recovers the domain "Barcelonavisit.com" which was unfairly competing with "visitbarcelona.com".
Joaquín López Bravo
After the inactive period caused by Covid-19, Brazilian INPI finishes the suspension of procedural deadlines on June 1st.
Isabel Rebolledo
WIPO rejects a CAMPOFRIO GROUP complaint based on the UDRP against the owner of the domain name campofrio.com
Joaquín Abajo
On May 1st, 2020, came into effect the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) project between the BPTO and the Singapore Patent Office (IPOS).
H&A
Please do not send original documents to our offices in Portugal; contact us via email first in order to prevent any risk of loss.
H&A
In order to attend to those affected by the pandemic and to aid recovery, currently applies only and exclusively to masks and surgical gowns, temporarily relaxing the requirements for CE marking.
Marta Gimeno
Information on the deadlines before the BRPTO, regarding the extension of terms until April 30th, 2020.
Beatriz Pereira
The new PPH modality that came into effect on December 1st, 2019 has so far totalized agreements with 20 countries, in addition to the European Patent Office (EPO).
Amanda Quintella
Technologies related to the treatment of the new coronavirus are now also part of the already existing health technologies accelerated examination modality .
Amanda Quintella
Rafaela Mattos
The mere fact of having products deposited or stored doesnot imply a use of a trademark.
Rodrigo López Crespo
Federico Jover
Health Registrations in the world of Industrial Property. The relationship between Patents and Health Licenses.
Carolina Calderón
Cláudio Vilar Furtado finished one year of administration of the Brazilian PTO
H&A
A system for recycling contaminated plastic packaging, developed by Brazilian inventors, winner of the II Latin American Patent Competition of PROSUR.
Amanda Quintella
We ask you not to send original documents to our offices, as there will be no one to collect them and there is a certain risk of loss.
H&A
The Resolution No. 244/2019 establishing the division of trademark applications and registrations was postponed to September 14, 2020.
Daniela Lin
Herrero is fully operative not only in Spain but in all its offices around the world.
H&A
Once the rights have been granted, it is always highly advisable to register them with the customs authorities, with whom you should try to maintain constant, fluid and proactive communication.
Alfonso Sabán
How your intellectual property rights will be protected after Brexit?
Anna Jarques
The importance of a previous search in a registering trademark process.
Rodrigo López Crespo
Due to financial policy, the brazilian government is studying the possible merging of various national agencies of industrial property.
Marcel Cotrim
From December 1, 2019, there will be one single resolution that will discipline all PPH agreements in Brazil.
Isabel Rebolledo
We would like to inform our clients and friends, we have moved our offices in Portugal.
H&A
Some of the new resolutions provide “user friendly” ways to meet the sometimes bureaucratic requirements of the National Office.
Isabel Rebolledo
You think, You talk, You decide: The new website of H&A, a commitment to the future opened to the clients' collaboration.
H&A
BRPTO established that the result of the searches carried out in Patent Offices of other countries, International or Regional Organizations could be used in Brazil to speed up examination of the pending patent application.
H&A
In the first 10 months of 2018 the number of patent applications awaiting a decision in the examination queue does not stop falling.
H&A
Brexit implications will have very relevant effects on our practice and our clients´ rights and interests.
Alfonso Sabán
Our Office in Brazil has been remarked as one of the main IP boutiques in trademark prosecution.
H&A
Our Office in Brazil has been remarked as one of the main IP boutiques in trademark prosecution.
H&A
The Peruvian INDECOPI joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) pilot.
H&A
The Council of Ministers approved the amendment to the Trademark Law in order to adapt its content in compliance with the European Parliament and of the Council to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks.
H&A
The Venezuelan National patent office has issued a communication informing that venezuelan cryptocurrency called “Petro” would be adopted as payment system of Official fees.
H&A
Just recently, on February 7, an event was held where Juan Lozano issued the first Registration for olfactory, sound, and commercial image trademarks.
H&A
The Brazilian PTO (BRPTO) published the Resolution No 235/2019 implementing the Phase II Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program between Brazil and Japan.
H&A
The Brazilian House of Representatives approved on April 4, 2019, the proposal for the country to join the Protocol.
H&A
The recently published Portuguese Industrial Property Code (CPI), will enter into force this July 1st, 2019.
H&A
On April 23, 2019, the Legislative power passed the fourth revision of the Chinese Trademark Law.
H&A
Please be informed that BRPTO's database will be out between June 5 and 10, 2019 in order to improve IT infrastructure.
H&A
The BRPTO is finalizing a system that will enable the user to expedite the retrieval of the opinions generated during the examination of patent applications and published in the Official Gazette (RPI).
H&A
Following the trend of many National Offices, the Uruguayan Patent Office has established a pilot program regarding the acceleration of examination procedures (PAR – Procedimiento de aprovechamiento de Resultados ).
H&A
In H&A, we take the online protection and defense of our client’s trademarks very seriously. Not in vain, we have about 20 years of experience registering and managing domain names for them.
H&A
The Brazilian House of Representatives approved on April 4th, 2019, the proposal for the country to join the Protocol.
H&A
Following the developments regarding the entrance of Brazil in the Madrid protocol, new resolutions have been issued by the Brazilian INPI.
H&A
European governments are not that excited about having a non-EU member state be part of the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court system.
Alfonso Sabán