European Union: Intellectual Property

On 11 November 2025, the Regional Court of Munich I ruled that OpenAI’s language models unlawfully used song lyrics by nine German authors. GEMA, acting as the collecting society, claimed that OpenAI’s models had memorised and reproduced copyrighted lyrics without permission. Comparable collecting societies across Scandinavia – such as KODA (Denmark) play similar roles in protecting authors’ rights and are closely watching this development.

Novagraaf positions itself as a comprehensive partner for intellectual property strategy, protection, and defense. The firm offers expert guidance through monthly newsletters, webinars, and exclusive content to help clients navigate the complexities of IP management and enforcement.

SANDISK, a global leader in data storage technology, sought to improve the efficiency and consistency of its international patent translation and filing processes.

New facts and evidence on appeal face a strict admissibility threshold under Art. 73(4) UPCA and R. 222.2 RoP. The Court considers three factors: (a) whether the party can justify that the submissions could not reasonably have been made at first instance, (b) the relevance of the new submissions, and (c) the position of the other party.

Headnote: The claimant’s legitimate interest in the publication of a decision (Art. 80 UPCA) may, depending on the circumstances of the individual case, follow from the fact that the defendant has marketed the attacked embodiment by explicitly referencing to the key technology protected by the patent

For late-stage interim relief requests (Art. 62 UPCA, R. 206-211 RoP), urgency has a specific meaning: the applicant must prove a new, escalating risk justifying immediate action.

En droit allemand des marques, le principe du « premier déposant » semble, à première vue, accorder des droits exclusifs au titulaire de la marque simplement par enregistrement. Cependant, ce principe est soumis à une limitation fondamentale. Giovanna Cassin décrit le concept de mauvaise foi dans les dépôts de marques, connu en droit allemand sous le nom de « Bösgläubigkeit ».

Novagraaf serves as a comprehensive partner for intellectual property strategy, protection, and defense. Subscribe to their monthly Perspectives newsletter to access expert advice, webinars, and exclusive content on IP matters.

Dans son arrêt du 22 avril 2026 (T-228/25), le Tribunal de l’Union européenne (TUE) confirme la nullité de son modèle faute de caractère individuel.

Market data from providers requiring confidentiality qualifies as confidential information under R. 262.2, R. 262A.1 RoP and Art. 58 UPCA, extending beyond trade secrets per Art. 39(2) TRIPS

Germany's Federal Cabinet has approved a draft bill modernizing the country's product liability framework for the first time since 1989, expanding liability to cover software and AI systems while introducing new evidentiary rules that shift the burden of proof toward manufacturers. The reform extends potential liability to a broader range of economic operators, including online marketplace providers and fulfillment service providers, while establishing extensive disclosure obligations for defendants in prod

Patents are of pivotal importance for protecting innovations throughout the quantum industry. When it comes to technology, three areas stand out as particularly significant. Quantum computing encompasses the development of hardware, software, and algorithms that harness quantum mechanical phenomena to perform calculations beyond the reach of classical computers. Quantum communication covers technologies that use quantum principles, most notably quantum key distribution to transmit information with a level of security that classical encryption cannot match.