JEROEN MUYLDERMANS
PARTNER
CREDENTIALS
EDUCATION
(VUB 2007 – magna cum laude)
Master Intellectual Property Rights
(KUL 2009 – magna cum laude)
MEMBERSHIPS
ECTA (European Communities Trade Mark Association) – member of the design committee
INTA (International Trade Mark Association)
PTMG (Pharmaceuticals Trade Mark Group)
PUBLICATION OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES
– The Likelihood of Confusion in Trade Mark Law: A Practical Guide to the Case Law of EU Courts, Kluwer Law International, 2020, 262 p. (with P. Maeyaert)
– “Artikelsgewijze commentaar merkenrecht” (legal commentary on the provisions of Benelux and EU trade mark law), in Wet & Duiding Economisch Recht – Deel 1 Intellectuele Eigendom, F. Brison, M-C. Janssens en H. Vanhees (eds)., Brussel, Larcier, 2012, 669 p. (with P. Maeyaert)
– “Kunstwerk of Kunstmerk? Merkdepot van Banksy is te kwader trouw” (Work of Art or Mark? Banksy’s trade mark was applied in bad faith), T.B.H. 2021, p. 306-316
– “The (court)house always wins: een ingeburgerd merk, maar toch nietig” (The (court)house always wins: a trade mark with acquired distinctiveness, yet invalid), R.A.B.G., 2021, p. 1858-1868
– “Ook een feitelijk voorgebruik van slechts plaatselijke betekenis kan volstaan voor een Benelux merkdepot te kwader trouw” (knowledge of a factual prior use of local significance may lead to a bad faith trade mark application), I.R.D.I. 2021, p. 141-149
– “The many faces of bad faith: het Benelux merkdepot te kwader trouw uitgelegd in in overeenstemming met de Europese rechtspraak” (The Benelux bad faith trade mark explained in accordance with the case law of EU Courts), I.C.I.P. 2019, p. 457-489
– “Recht op informatie bij IE-inbreuken vanuit Belgisch perspectief” (The right to information of IP infringements from a Belgian perspective), Bull. BMM 2018/1, p. 15-22
– “De onwettigheid van de Benelux-regeling inzake depots te kwader trouw” (the illegitimacy of the Benelux rules on bad faith trade mark applications, I.R.D.I. 2017, p. 38-42
– “Bescherming van een vorm: enkele kanttekeningen bij de verhouding tussen merken en modellen” (Protection of shapes: some reflections on the relationship between trade marks and designs), I.C.I.P. 2016, p. 320-362
– “De maatman in het merkenrecht” (The reference person in trade mark law), Bull. BMM, 2015/3, p. 108-118
– “The Belgian Beer Battle: the scope of protection afforded to colour marks”, Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice, 2014, Vol. 9, No. 4, p. 265-267
– “Voorgebruik als geldige reden” (prior use as a due cause), I.R.D.I. 2014, p. 567 – 574
– “De originaliteitstoets voor de auteursrechtelijke bescherming van gebruiksvoorwerpen” (The originality test for the copyright protection of works of applied art), I.R.D.I. 2013, p. 113-120
– “De opeising van een merk: naar een volwaardige revindicatievordering in het merkenrecht?” (The vindication of a trade mark: towards a full-fletched entitlement claim in trade mark law?), I.C.I.P. 2013, p. 41-76
AWARDS
– Wim Mak Award 2016 – annual prize awarded to the best legal article published in the BMM Bulletin, edited by the BMM (Benelux Association for Trade Mark and Designs) with an article on “The reference person in trade mark law”.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
– Teacher in the professional course to become accredited Benelux trade mark and design agents (BBMM) on the subject of “scope of protection and enforcement of trade marks” (2018 – onwards)
– Protection of Designs – recent case-law on novelty, individual character and enforcement, BMM Spring Meeting, Bruges, 2013
– Proper Nouns as a Mark: Peculiarities and Pitfalls, BMM Spring Meeting, Antwerp, 2018
– Likelihood of confusion: the 3-step test and recent trends in the case law of EU Courts, EUIPO Webinar, 2020
– Maintaining trade marks: The thin line between genuine use and downright abuse, BMM Spring Meeting, The Hague, 2021
– Street Art & IP: Are Copyrights (and Trade Marks) for Losers?, AIPPI, Ghent, 2021
– Alchemizing Generic Medicines Into Branded Products in Parallel Trade – Novartis Case Study, SMI Parallel Trade Conference, 2021
– Update Trade Mark Law, Intersentia Annual Conference, Ghent, 2021
– Likelihood of Confusion in Trade Mark Law: the 3-steps test, IP Law Summer School, Cambridge, 2022
HIGHLIGHTS - REPRESENTATIONS BEFORE EU COURTS
– Court of Justice of the European Union, 23/04/2009, Sonoma v Galatea e.al., joined cases C-261/07 and C-299/07 (unfair commercial practices; combined offers)
– Court of Justice of the European Union, 11/07/2013, Best v Visys, C-657/11 (concept of advertising – use and registration of domain names; use of metatags)
– Court of Justice of the European Union, 15/12/2016, Nationale Loterij, C-667/15 (unfair commercial practices – concept of ‘pyramid promotional schemes’)
– Court of Justice of the European Union, 05/10/2017, Wolf Oil, C-437/16P (trade mark opposition case; likelihood of confusion; conceptual neutralisation)
– Court of Justice of the European Union, 25/07/2018, Mitsubishi, C-129/17 (preliminary referral; rights conferred by a trade mark; right to oppose de-branding)
– Court of Justice of the European Union, [ongoing], Novartis, joined cases C-253/20 and C-254/20 (preliminary referral; rights conferred by a trade mark; first affixing of a mark to intra-community parallel imports of generic pharmaceutical products)
– General Court of the European Union, 01/06/2016, Wolf Oil, T-34/15 (trade mark cancellation action; likelihood of confusion)
– General Court of the European Union, 16/11/2017, RE-CONzero, T-723/16 (trade mark opposition action; likelihood of confusion)
– General Court of the European Union, 12/09/2018, Chefaro Ireland, T-905/16 (trade mark invalidity action; likelihood of confusion; conceptual neutralisation)
– General Court of the European Union, 13/12/2018, Commodore, T-672/16 (trade mark revocation action; genuine use of a trade mark; due cause)
– General Court of the European Union, 24/03/2021, Creatherm, T-168/20 (trade mark opposition case; likelihood of confusion)
– General Court of the European Union, 10/11/2021, Building Panels, T-193/20 (design invalidity action; individual character of designs; four stage examination)