LOOKING FOR A PARALEGAL
Fencer is looking for a paralegal We are looking for a new colleague! FENCER currently has a vacancy for the position of Paralegal. The job is very versatile and you will become a vital part of our dynamic and cohesive team. Our new colleague should be an enthusiastic person with a keen interest in intellectual […]
THE HALLOUMI CASES
The HALLOUMI cases : appetizer for the downfall of collective marks designating a geographical origin? The collective word mark HALLOUMI owned by the “Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi” (Halloumi Foundation) is no stranger to European trade mark enthusiasts. Earlier this year, after an appeal before the CJEU (C-766/18 […]
PHISHING ALERT!
Watch out for fake requests for trademark renewal instructions In one of our previous posts, we talked about fake invoices, which have plagued the trade mark community since several years. Scammers tried to convince trade mark owners to pay exorbitant amounts to renew their trade mark registrations, or even to appear in trade mark registers which […]
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX 2021
Belgium ranks 11th in the World Press Freedom Index 2021 – something to be proud of? On Tuesday, 20 April 2021, the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has issued its annual World Freedom Index. This index evaluates on an annual basis the press freedom situation in 180 countries worldwide. Although Belgium is ranked 11th – […]
JEROEN SPEAKS AT THE BMM
Last Thursday, 25th March 2021, the Benelux Association for Trademarks and Designs (BMM) held its bi-annual spring meeting. Whilst the BMM members attended from their (home) office, the lecturers travelled to the Benelux Office for Intellectually Property at the Hague from where the virtual meeting was broadcasted. Our very own partner Jeroen gave a highly […]
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
A big shout out to all those strong and successful female entrepreneurs out there for International Women’s Day! FENCER is proud and grateful to be representing some of them. Keep up the good work, ladies!
SAY CHEESE…!
The Belgian cheese maker Flandrien has been successful in preventing a cooperation of Dutch cheese makers (‘Coöperatieve Zuivelonderneming CONO B.A.’) from marketing their ‘Flamand’ cheese in Belgium. FACTS In a decision of 5 January 2021, the Dutch division of the Enterprise Court of Brussels, Belgium sided with Belgian cheese maker Flandrien in a trade mark […]
WHAT WAS IN YOUR CHILD’S SHOE?
The most wonderful time of the year has arrived. The festive season started with Sinterklaas, the most nostalgic celebration of all. We all felt like children again, in the early morning of 6 December, when inspecting with our offspring the contents of their little shoes. Toys, lots of toys, but also tangerines, chocolate figures, and […]
BREXIT : REPRESENTATION ISSUES
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit had the dubious honour of becoming only the second-most important news item of 2020. Fact is nonetheless that 31 December 2020 will mark the official end of the transition period, which followed the UK’s departure from the EU on 31 January 2020. As a result, European laws and […]
VOORUIT OU MARCHE ARRIERE?
VOORUIT, le nouveau nom du parti solcialiste qiu embête le temple culturel gantois du même nom. Le SP.A, le parti socialiste flamand a décidé de changer de nom. Il s’appelle désormais VOORUIT. Ce nouveau nom est assez gênant pour le célèbre temple culturel gantois VOORUIT, qui existe depuis près de 40 ans et qui est […]