Worldwide: International Law

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on whether political expression and parody can justify the unauthorized use of a reputed trademark, examining the balance between intellectual property rights and freedom of speech. The case arose from a Belgian political party's immigration campaign that adopted IKEA's branding without permission, prompting Inter IKEA to bring infringement proceedings.

The Paris Central Division has ruled that UPC actions can be filed for patent applications nearing grant, potentially invalidating opt-outs filed after proceedings commence. This decision raises critical questions about the timing of opt-out filings and the scope of UPC jurisdiction over pending applications.

A Cyprus Appellate Court has ruled that a Certificate of enforceability under Article 54 of EU Regulation 44/2001 confirms the issuing court's verification that the judgment falls within the regulation's scope. The court followed European Court precedent establishing that enforcement procedures preclude subsequent review by the addressed Member State's courts regarding whether the underlying action falls within the regulation's ambit.

The European Commission has proposed significant amendments to the CBAM Regulation that could fundamentally reshape how electricity exports from the Western Balkans are treated under the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism. While headline attention focuses on downstream steel and aluminium goods, the proposed changes to electricity treatment—including revised default value methodologies and relaxed conditions for declaring actual emissions—may prove far more consequential for regional power

New EU e-Evidence rules take effect in Sweden from August 2026, requiring digital service providers to respond to cross-border law enforcement data requests within strict deadlines. Non-compliance carries administrative fees of up to 2% of global turnover, with liability based on strict liability principles. Service providers operating social networks, marketplaces, cloud services, and communications platforms serving Swedish users must establish designated points of contact and connect to EU-wide systems i

The EU Pharmaceutical Package represents the most significant reform of EU pharmaceutical law in over twenty years, but what does it mean for parallel imports of medicines? This analysis examines how the Package affects the regulatory framework for parallel trade, from repackaging requirements to shortage management and electronic package leaflets.

Finnish Customs has uncovered a suspected sanctions evasion scheme involving nearly €6 million worth of hydraulic equipment allegedly exported to Russia through false declarations. Two individuals face aggravated charges for routing prohibited goods through Kazakhstan and Türkiye, with prosecutors expected to receive the case by year-end.

Luxembourg's Finance Ministry has launched an investigation into former Gazprombank Luxembourg managers over allegations of sanctions circumvention and potential insider trading. The probe centers on a sophisticated bond-trading scheme that allegedly exploited EU sanctions through transactions between Luxembourg and Russia.

Can arbitral institutions actually make arbitration faster — or is that just wishful thinking? A new chapter in the Austrian Yearbook on International Arbitration 2026 revisits this question, hotly debated at last year’s World Café during the Vienna Arbitration Days.