Following the General Election held on 12 December, UK voters
returned Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a substantial majority
in Parliament. It seems highly probable that the Withdrawal
Agreement previously agreed with the EU will now be approved by
MPs, and is likely to pass fairly swiftly, with the legislation
probably returning to Parliament before Christmas.
Under the terms of that agreement, the UK will leave the EU on
31 January 2020, with a transition period up to the end of 2020.
The Conservative Party has indicated it does not expect to extend
that period.
We therefore anticipate that EU trade marks and designs
will continue to cover the UK for 2020 and will cease to
do so from 1 January 2021, following the transition period.
Provisions for ensuring continuity of protection through creation
of comparable rights have been agreed and draft legislation has
been created. Our earlier information briefings can be found
here and we will keep our clients
