News from MAINPAT

We are your firm for strategic IP protection. Here you will find news and analyses on patents, trademarks, and designs.

🌐 Meet us at upcoming IP events

We will be attending the following conferences and meetings:

AIPLA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. (October 2025), where our legal secretary and LL.M. candidate Julie Ann Zeiger will be attending as a student member.
IP Service World in Munich (November 2025)
AIPPI World Congress in Hamburg (October 2026)

If you’ll be at any of these events and would like to meet (whether to discuss European IP strategy, EPO oppositions, German nullity proceedings, or cross-border portfolio management), please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We always welcome the opportunity to exchange perspectives and explore how we can assist with international IP protection.

◆ Warm invitation:
And of course, if your travels ever bring you to Germany, you’re very welcome to visit us here in Würzburg.

📅 Our Calendar 2025

Discover events, holidays, and key dates related to IP law and more.

View Calendar

In Focus

EU Design Reform 2025

The EU Design Reform 2025 is a comprehensive revision of EU design law aimed at modernizing and strengthening design rights protection in the European Union. The reform introduces several key changes, including a unified design right, simplified application procedures, and improved enforcement mechanisms.

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Competition Law

German Federal Court on Claims: “Gentle on the Skin?” Legally Inadmissible

A ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) from January 2025 shows: Even claims like “skin-friendly” may violate the EU Biocidal Products Regulation—even if they seem harmless.

GDPR and Competition Law: Meta/Facebook Under BGH Scrutiny

A March 2025 ruling by the Federal Court of Justice shows: Violations of the GDPR can also be pursued under civil law—especially in cases involving non-transparent user terms in apps like Facebook.

EUIPO Decision: “ALBA RANCH” Rejected

The EUIPO rejected the trademark due to a geographical indication and lack of EU representation – key lessons for non-EU applicants.

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