Intellectual Property
The Mafia no longer has a seat at the table: the OEPM follows in the EGC’s footsteps and invalidates the Spanish trademark
The Spanish Patents and Trademarks Office (OEPM) has declared the trademark “La Mafia se sienta a la mesa” invalid, deeming it contrary to public policy and accepted principles of morality based on the same criteria that led the European General Court (EGC) to invalidate the European trademark in 2018.“The show must go on”… but with a license: the scope of musical synchronization
The Provincial Court of Madrid, in its judgment of May 16, 2025, confirmed a highly relevant criterion for the audiovisual sector: what should be understood as the synchronization of a musical work in an audiovisual production and why this act requires the specific authorization of the rights holder.AI and copyright: from ‘machine-readable’ to ‘machine-actionable’ in the opt-out from TDM: a question of vocabulary or technical governance?
The debate regarding reservation of rights (opt-out) for AI training has shifted from principles to infrastructure. The German decision in the LAION case rekindles the key issue: how to turn ‘machine-readable’ into a ‘machine-actionable’ mechanism that is interoperable and proportional.The Supreme Court judgment on the Mezquita de Córdoba clarifies the scope of trademark ius prohibendi against prior domain names
The recent ruling on the domain name “mezquitadecordoba.org” confirms a key idea for any business: a domain name – no matter how old – does not prevail over a registered trademark. The decision highlights the importance of having a solid strategy in place for protecting digital assets at a time when the online world carries increasing weight.The CJEU’s Mio/Konektra ruling on the copyright protection of works of applied art: interpreting the interpreter
In a case concerning the copyright protection of furniture designs, the Court revisits its settled case law on the originality requirement for the protection of utilitarian objects, while further delineating the relationship between copyright and design law under EU law.Keys to the Supreme Court judgment that recognizes the authorship by the Japanese artist Negishi, of artworks signed by the Spaniard De Felipe
Following the recent Supreme Court decision that recognizes Fumiko Negishi as co-author of 221 artworks signed by the Spanish artist Antonio de Felipe, we take a look at the judgment to analyze why the high court considered that Negishi’s personal execution of these works “gives rise to the embodiment of an original work eligible for protection”.New guidance on vehicle data and the Data Act: challenges and opportunities
The European Commission has published the first guidelines clarifying how the obligations of the Data Act apply to connected vehicles. The document provides guidance for manufacturers, providers and users on access to, and use and transmission of, the data generated by vehicles, paving the way to a new stage in automotive data governance and the structure of future business models based on digital mobility.Let the games begin: the video game as a key player of the entertainment industry
From a niche pastime to a global phenomenon, video games now stand as a driving force of the entertainment industry. Beyond creativity and technology, they embody a complex fusion of art, technology, and law. As multifaceted works, video games demand thoughtful legal analysis and strategic intellectual property planning from development to launch.More reliable online reviews? The new European Code of Conduct for reviews in the tourism industry
The adoption of the Code of Conduct for online ratings and reviews for tourism accommodation constitutes a new step in the fight against fake reviews. This initiative, launched by the European Commission together with digital travel platforms, hotels and consumer associations, aims to achieve greater transparency and reliability of reviews. The objective is to regain consumers’ trust in these ratings mechanisms, so that only verified guests can leave an opinion, with a view to avoiding fake reviews that harm travelers, establishments and platforms alike.