ARTICLE · 04 FEBRUARY 2021

The Implications Of Brexit On EU Trade Marks

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Starting in 2021, laws and policies of the EU will cease to apply to the UK, which includes IP laws for trade marks.

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Starting in 2021, laws and policies of the EU will cease to apply to the UK, which includes IP laws for trade marks.

Overview

On 31 December 2020, the transition period for the United Kingdom (the “UK”) has officially ended. The transition period denotes the period where the UK is no longer a member of European Union (the “EU”) but is still part of its customs union and single market. Starting from 1 January 2021, laws and policies of the EU will cease to apply to the UK, which includes IP laws for trade marks.

Trade Marks

1. Existing Registered EU Trade Marks

EU trade marks that are registered or designated up to 31 December 2020 will be automatically cloned to comparable UK trade marks from 1 January 2021 free of charge, unless if the right-holder opts out of doing so.

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