The UK parliamentary elections on December 12, 2019 saw the
Conservative Party winning a comfortable majority, increasing the
likelihood for ratification, by the UK Parliament and the EU, of
the withdrawal agreement negotiated with the EU in October 2019.
The agreement provides for withdrawal from the EU by January 31,
2020, followed by a transition period until December 31, 2020,
during which the future legal relationship with the EU is set to be
negotiated in detail.
Articles 54 et seqq. of the withdrawal agreement also provide
for a transition period for European Union IP rights (including
trademarks). Consequently, provided that the withdrawal agreement
is ratified, it is to be expected that, in accordance with the
September 24, 2018 and January 17, 2019 publications of the UK
International Property Office (UK IPO), the intended changes will
take effect at the end of the scheduled transition period, thus by
December 31, 2020.
