On November 15, the European Patent Office (EPO) declared that, due to EU sanctions against Russia, all patent requests from Russian nationals or companies with Russian ties will be denied. The EPO confirmed that requests submitted since July 10, 2024, will remain on hold, affecting numerous investigations and evaluations within the patent community. This decision underscores the growing impact of geopolitical tensions on international patent law, as trademark and patent protections increasingly intertwine with sanctions.
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation launched a patent troll bounty program aiming to defend the open-source computing community from predatory litigation practices. They partnered with Unified Patents to incentivize community members to participate. The CNCF emphasized that, "Patent trolls are increasingly targeting cloud native open source due to its success and broad ubiquity," highlighting the need for proactive measures to protect the community from exploitation of its innovations.
Sweden has taken a historic step by becoming the first country to file a trademark for its name, aiming to eliminate confusion for international tourists. The move, announced on November 12, includes an application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The Swedish authorities are encouraging the public to support this effort through a petition, expressing that this initiative not only protects Sweden's identity but also enhances its presence and brand in the global tourism market.
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