News

On 5 March 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) and Japan’s JETRO held their 13th annual meeting in Munich, sparking exciting discussions on innovation, sustainability, and the future of patents. With key players like JETRO Düsseldorf Director General Kazuyoshi Sugano in attendance, the event highlighted how collaboration is driving progress for Japanese companies in Europe. Here’s what you need to know:

Elon Musk’s Neuralink is making headlines with its plans to trademark “Telepathy” and “Telekinesis.” But let’s be clear: these aren’t new ideas. They’ve been part of science fiction and human imagination for decades. So, can a company actually own these words? And is Neuralink’s technology as revolutionary as it sounds? Let’s take a closer look.

Trademark disputes can be tricky, but sometimes the law makes it clear: two similar-sounding brands can peacefully coexist. In a recent case, the General Court (GC) ruled that there’s no risk of confusion between the Danish mark ‘KING’S’ and the contested sign ‘AROMA KING’, both used for cigarettes and tobacco. Let’s dive into the key reasons behind this decision—and why it matters for brands everywhere.

Starting today, the European Patent Office (EPO) is testing a new way to make the patent process quicker and more eco-friendly. Instead of sending paper documents, the EPO will now let users request and receive priority documents—a key part of the patent process—electronically. This change is part of the EPO’s bigger plan to go fully digital, making things easier for inventors and businesses while reducing waste.