• Biocidal active substance renewal – February 2022

Pharmaceuticals – Suspected anti – competivcie Agreements – May 2019

On 23 May 2019, the Competition and Markets Authority (‘CMA’) issued a statement of objections alleging that Focus Pharmaceuticals, Medreich, Alliance Pharmaceuticals and Lexon breached UK and EU competition law by allegedly entering into anti-competitive agreements in relation to the supply of a prescription-only drug called Prochlorperazine 3mg dissolvable or buccal tablets (‘Buccal’) in the UK. Buccal is used to treat nausea and dizziness.

More 

Intellectual Property: Design and Trade Mark Law changes- no deal Brexit Guidance – April 2019

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) recently issued guidance on changes to registered design, design rights and international design and European Union Trade Marks (‘EUTM’) if the UK leaves the EU without a deal in place (‘Guidance’).

The Guidance covers the jurisdictions of England; Northern Ireland; Scotland and Wales. All changes will take effect at the time that the UK ceases to be a Member State of the European Union.

Changes

• Introduction of The Designs and International Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
• UK businesses will have to obtain registered design protection in the remaining 27 Member States of the EU through an application to the EUIPO.
• Businesses from the EU and worldwide will have to apply for a UK registered design through the IPO.
• UK to create re-registered UK designs at no cost to the RCD holder.
• The number allocated to the re-registered design will consist of the full RCD number prefixed with the digit ‘9’.
• If you hold a pending RCD application on exit day, you will be able to apply for a UK registered design. You will be able to claim the earlier filing date and any priority date of the corresponding RCD application.
• As a re-registered design holder you may opt out in limited circumstances.
• Changes to renewals of design registrations and re-registered designs.
• Creation of UK Supplementary Unregistered Designs..
• The Intellectual Property (Exhaustion of Rights) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018, maintain the existing approach by setting out that the question of whether a product has been lawfully placed into free circulation will be assessed in relation to the same geographical area i.e. the EEA together with the UK.
• After exit, qualification for the design right will be limited to persons resident in, and business formed under the laws of the UK or a qualifying country.
• Creation of the re-registered international design at no cost to the registered international design holder.

• Under the new law, an international registration that is deferred on exit day will be treated as being equivalent to a pending application.

• Creation of the comparable UK trade mark (IR) at no cost to the holder.

More

Placing manufactured goods on the EU and UK internal markets-no deal Brexit guidance, March 2019

On 19 March 2019, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
published guidance for businesses placing manufactured goods on the EU and UK internal markets. The focus is on placing manufactured goods on the EU internal market if there’s no deal and placing manufactured goods on the UK market if there’s no Brexit deal.

Major changes

• Businesses will be able to place goods on the UK market using either the CE or the new UK conformity marking (“UKCA mark”) for a limited time after 29 March 2019.
• Change of status from distributor to importer after EU Exit.
• Transitional Period: There will be an 18-month transitional period from 29 March 2019 allowing importers importing goods from the EU or EEA to provide their details on the accompanying documentation rather than on the product label.
• New authorised representative must be based in the UK.
• After 29 March 2019 the mutual recognition principle will not apply to non-harmonised goods placed on the UK market.
• If you are a non-UK business exporting non-harmonised goods to the UK after 29 March 2019 you will need to make sure that the goods meet UK national requirements, regardless of whether they were previously lawfully marketed in another EU country or in the UK.

What you will need to do after EU Exit will depend on whether your goods are:

• Regulated under the new approach
• Regulated under the old approach
• Non-harmonised goods subject to national regulation

More

• Food Safety: Guidance on Food Traceability, Withdrawals and Recalls within the UK Food Industry, March 2019

On 12 March 2019, the Food Standards Agency (“FSA”) published new Guidance intended for food business operators (“FBOs”) and UK food enforcement authorities in connection with withdrawing or recalling unsafe food. This guidance sets out the legal requirements of Regulation (EC) No.178/2002 and associated food legislation. The guidance also includes best practice. More

• Exiting The European Union Senior Courts Of England And Wales County Court, England And Wales. The Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, March 2019

•  MHRA submissions if NO DEAL BREXIT guidance: Making submissions to the MHRA in a no deal scenario, March 2019

• Post Brexit: Government announces new measures for workers’ rights, march 2019

Higher Education

• • Higher Education and Spent Convictions, Feb 2018

Employment Law 

• •    Employment Law Roundup April 2018, march 2

• Misleading Advertising, October 2017
• GDPR, September 2017

• Waste Management – Resource Management – Waste company director fined for storing waste illegally – July 2016
• Food Company Breach Health and Safety, January 2016

• Advertising and Promotions
• Corporate and Commercial Law
• Intellectual Property
• Pharmaceutical Drugs, Counterfeit Drug and Generic Medicines

• Consumer Contracts: Distance Selling
• Data Protection
• Employment Law
• Food Law
• Intellectual Property
• Product Regulation

• Commercial Law
• Cosmetics Law
• Data Protection
• Education Law
• Electronic Cigarettes
• Employment Law
• Energy Law
• Food Law
• Generic Drugs
• Intellectual Property
• Internet Law
• Marketing Authorisation
• Media and Entertainment Law
• Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences and Biotechnology
• Regulatory and Public Law

• Civil Procedure
• Commercial Law
• Data Protection
• Employment Law
• Intellectual Property
• Internet Law
• Regulatory Law

• Commercial Law
• Comparative Advertising, Misleading Advertising
• Data Protection
• Education Law
• Employment Law
• Food Law
• Generic Drugs
• Healthcare Cases
• Intellectual Property
• Internet Law
• Media & Entertainment Law
• Pharmaceuticals
• Pensions
• Sports Law

• Breach of Confidence
• Computer Games
• Data Protection
• Employment Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• Media and Entertainment

• Commercial Law
• Commercial Property Law
• Company Law
• Employment Law
• Environmental Law
• Intellectual Property

UK and European Legal Updates

Please browse our current UK and European legal updates on a range of legal topics. To view a particular topic, click on the relevant link below:

• Advertising
• Agency
• Banking
• Chemical
• Commercial Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Commercial Property
• Company Law
• Competition Law
• Computer Programs
• Consumer Law
• Corporate Law
• Cosmetics
• Data Protection
• Domain Names
• Employment Law
• Generic Drugs
• Insurance Law
• Information Technology
• Intellectual Property
• Media & Entertainment Law
• Medicinal Products
• Mortgages
• Offshore
• Outsourcing
• Pharmaceuticals
• Parallel Imports
• Regulatory Law
• Shareholding
• Sports Law
• Travel Law

Please browse our current legal updates on a range of legal topics. To view a particular topic, click on the relevant link below:-

• Advertising Marketing & Public Relations
• Agency Arrangements
• Banking
• Biotechnology
• Chemicals
• Commercial Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Company Law
• Competition Law
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Law
• Cosmetics
• Data Protection Law
• Distribution Arrangements
• Education Law
• Employment Law
• Environmental Law
• EU Law
• Fashion Industry
• Food & Drink Law
• Food Safety
• Freedom of Information
• Generic Drugs
• Healthcare
• Hotel and Catering
• Information Technology
• Insurance Law
• Intellectual Property 
• Internet Law
• Joint Venture
• Licensing
• Manufacturing
• Marketing Authorisations
• Media & Entertainment 
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Offshore Transactions
• Pharmaceuticals
• Property Law
• Regulatory Law
• Retail
• Shareholders
• Software
• Telecommunications
• Unfair Contract Terms
• VOIP

Legal Updates

Advertising

•    Advertising – Comparative Advertising, October 2005
•    Discounts – Misleading Advertising, July 2005

Biotechnology

•  Licensing Agreement – Royalty Payments, January 2005

Chemicals

•    EU New Chemicals Legislation, December 2006

Commercial Law

•   Commercial Agency – Compensation, December 2005
•   Breach of a Commercial Agency Agreement – Compensation, October 2005
•   Property: Proper Construction of Leases, July 2005
•   Breach of Contract – Damages and Compensation – Remoteness, February 2005
•   Compulsory Employer Liability Insurance, February 2005
•   Proposal by European to Curb Sharp Consumer Selling and Advertising Practices, January 2005
•   Disclosure of Confidential Information, September 2004

Company Law

•  Reform Bill,July 2006
•  Corporate Manslaughter Bill, July 2005

Consumer Law

• Discounts – Misleading Advertising, July 2005

Corporate Law

• Corporation Tax – Research & Development Relief, October 2005

Data Protection 

• Unlawful Access and Disclosure – Personal Information, July 2006
• Self Regulation, July 2006
• EU Framework Decision, October 2005
• Employment Practices Data Protection Code – Workplace Monitoring, August 2005
• New Interpretation of the Data Protection Act, August 2005
• New Global Anti-Spamming Agreement, July 2004

E-Business

• Distance Selling – Consultation re Distance Selling Regulations, November 2006
• B2B e-Trade Rules , August 2005
• Domain Names – Bad Faith, July 2005
• Distance Selling Regulations, June 2005

Education Law

• Special Education Needs – Failure to follow Regulations, December 2006
• Special Educational Needs, July 2005
• Special Educational Needs – Tribunal’s Reasoning, July 2005
• Expulsion of Pupil – Reinstatement, February 2005
• Negligence – Whether Duty of Care Owed to Child with Special Needs, February 2005

Employment Law

• Unfair and Constructive Dismissal – Last Straw Principle, December 2006
• ‘Without Prejudice’ privilege – Victimisation, November 2006
• Unfair and Wrongful Dismissal – Procedural Unfairness, November 2006
• Unauthorised Disclosure, November 2006
• Loss of Statutory Rights – Compensation , November 2006
• Racial Discrimination, November 2006
• Disclosure of Information – Breach of Confidence, November 2006
• Unfair Dismissal – Procedure, November 2006
• Discrimination – Victimisation – Three Step Procedure – Outside Time Limit, November 2006 
• Duty of Care – Bullying, September 2006
• Unfair Dismissal – Calculation of Award, September 2006
• Race Relations – Discrimination – Redundancy, September 2006
• Redundancy – Selection Criteria, August 2006
• Sex Discrimination, August 2006
• Discrimination against a Woman- Default Judgement, August 2006
• Racial Discrimination – Burden of Proof, August 2006
• Continuity of Trade, July 2006
• Unfair Dismissal – Compensation, June 2006
• Dismissal – Reasons Justifying Dismissal, February 2006
• Internal Process – Unfair Dismissal, February 2006
• Discrimination against Male Employee, November 2005
• Discrimination – Abuse by Job Applicant, November 2005
• Unfair dismissal – constructive dismissal, November 2005
• Race Discrimination Claim – BNP Candidate, November 2005
• Disability Discrimination, October 2005
• Disciplinary Hearing – Unfair Dismissal, October 2005
• Employment Practices Data Protection Code – Workplace Monitoring, August 2005
• Vicariously Liability, July 2006
• Claims – Overseas Worker, September 2005
• National Minimum Wage Increase, September 2005
• Excessive Working Hours, September 2005
• Time Limits for Bringing Employment Tribunal Claims, August 2005
• Unfair Dismissal – Employer Succeeded in Changing Terms of Employment, August 2005
• Attendance Rewards – Legal Ramifications, August 2005
• Proposed Employment Law Changes – To take Effect 1 October 2005, July 2005
• Unfair Dismissal – Constructive Dismissal, July 2005
• Unfair Dismissal – Constructive Dismissal – ‘Last Straw’, July 2005
• Sex Discrimination – Margin of Discretion, July 2005
• Mitigation of Loss, June 2005
• Amendments to TUPE delayed, June 2005
• Racial Discrimination – Unfavourable Treatment, March 2005
• Equality and Human Rights Commission, February 2005
• Maximum Awards in Unfair Dismissal Cases (SI 2004/2989.), February 2005
• E-mail Policy Must Be Explained To Employees, January 2005
• Employers’ Duty To Inform and Consult, November 2004
• Changes To National Minimum Wage, October 2004
• New Disability Considerations For Employers, September 2004
• Compensation For Injury To Feelings, August 2004
• Loss Of Opportunity to Claim Unfair Dismissal, May 2004
• DTI to Implement Changes to Employment Law and Practice, April 2004
• New Anti-discrimination Regulations, December 2003

Exhaustion of Rights 

• Trade Marks – Exhaustion of Rights, August 2005
• Trade mark Infringement – Pharmaceutical Product – Exhaustion of Rights, July 2005

Food Additives 

• Medicinal Products – Food Additives – Free Movement of Goods, July 2005

Information Technology

• IT Security – New Legislation, October 2005
• IT Security – Stolen Source Code, October 2005
• IT Security – Fraud Bill, October 2005
• Negotiating certain Terms in IT Contracts, September 2005
• Negotiating certain Terms in IT Contracts, September 2005
• Wrongful Termination of Contract, September 2005

Intellectual Property 

• Opposition to Trade Mark, December 2006
• Opposition to Trade Mark Registration – Error by Hearing Officer, December 2006
• Community Trade Marks – Pharmaceuticals, December 2006
• Community Trade Mark Confusion, December 2006
• Passing Off – Inferior Quality, December 2006
• Patents – Ground Breaking Decision – Patentability of Business Methods and Computer Programs, November 2006
• Patent Dispute – Revocation, November 2006
• Patentability of Computer Programs, November 2006
• Trade Mark Infringement – Licensing – Passing Off, November 2006
• Registration of UK Trade Mark, October 2006
• Community Trade Mark – Confusion, September 2006
• Copyright Infringement – Interim Injunction, August 2006
• Infringement of Registered Design Rights, August 2006
• Patentability of Computer Programmes, March 2006
• Patents – Drafting with Reasonable Care and Skill, December 2005
• Copyright – copyright Infringement, November 2005
• Patents – Grant of Rights to Third Parties, November 2005
• Community Trade Marks – Registration – Grounds for Refusal, October 2005
• Trade Mark Infringement, October 2005
• Community Trade Mark – Likelihood of Confusion – Refusal of Registration, October 2005
• UK Trade Marks Online Applications, September 2005
• Trade Mark Infringement, September 2005
• Trade Marks and Distinctive Character Test – Landmark Decision, September 2005
• Intellectual Property: Patents – Assignment of Patents, September 2005
• Software Patents, August 2005
• Design – Spare Parts, August 2005
• Patent Infringement, August 2005
• Trade Marks – Goodwill, August 2005
• The ECJ Extends the Use of Trade Marks to Goods and Services, August 2005
• Counterfeiting – Government Consultation, August 2005
• Trade Marks – Exhaustion of Rights, August 2005
• Passing Off – Deception or Confusion, July 2005
• Community Trade Marks – Likelihood of Confusion, June 2005
• Patent Revocation – Lack of Novelty, March 2005
• Trade Marks – Distinctive Character – Surnames, March 2005
• Patent Infringement – Refusal to Grant an Injunction, January 2005
• Trade Mark Revocation – Non Use, January 2005
• Co-ownership of Patents, December 2004
• International Trade mark Applications Under the Madrid Protocol , December 2004
• IP – Trade mark Dispute involving Google, July 2004
• Can Small Businesses Live with the Proposed EU Patent? March 2004
• Database Right v Copyright , February 2004

Media and Entertainment 

• Privacy – Elton John – Failed Injunction, July 2006
• Music Copyright – ISP Liability, July 2006
• Artist’s Rights – Droit De Suit, January 2006
• Advertising – New Alcohol Advertising Codes, August 2005
• Privacy Rights – Publishing, August 2005
• Film – Copyright Assignment – Reversionary Interest, March 2005
• Ownership of Copyright in New Editions of Existing Compositions, July 2004
• Unfair Terms, April 2004

Pharmaceutical 

• Opposition to Trade Mark, December 2006
• Trade mark Infringement – Pharmaceutical Product – Exhaustion of Rights, July 2005
• Misuse of Patent System – Abuse of Dominant Position – The European Commission fined AstraZeneca €60 million , June 2005
• Marketing Authorisation for Medicinal Products, February 2005
• Licensing Agreement – Royalty Payments , January 2005

Property 

• Commercial Property: Office Lease – Non Payment of Rent, December 2006
• Property – Stamp Duty, October 2006
• Commercial Property Leases September 2005
• Property – Paying your Stamp Taxes Online, September 2005
• Landlord and Tenant – Rent Review, March 2005
• Unequal Financial Contributions to Property Purchase by Unmarried Couple, June 2004
• Changes to Stamp Duty, February 2004

Publishing 

• Copyright Infringement, February 2005

Regulatory Law 

• Marketing Authorisations: Medicinal Products – Food Additives – Free Movement of Goods, July 2005
• Marketing Authorisation – Medicinal Products, July 2005