IP news & updates from our global team!

The $25 Million Blue-Washing Blunder: Wyland v. FIFA

When commercial property rights collide with statutory moral rights, which one wins? This is the question at the center of a federal lawsuit related to intellectual property, real estate law and sports entertainment. 

Photo Credit: Astrid Schaffner

In June 2026, world-renowned environmental artist Robert Wyland filed a federal lawsuit in Texas seeking $25 million in damages against FIFA, among other defendants. The complaint alleges that Wyland’s iconic 1999 “Ocean Life” mural was illegally painted over to make way for promotional displays for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The dispute centers directly on a powerful but frequently misunderstood component of U.S. copyright law: the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA).

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When Is a Provisional Application’s Filing Date the “Prior Art” Date of a Patent or Published Application?

In Dental Monitoring SAS v. Align Technology, Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit addressed the crucial question: under what circumstances can a patent or published application be assigned the earlier filing date of a provisional application for purposes of qualifying as prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) and § 102(d)(2). The court held that the provisional application must provide written description support under § 112(a) for at least one published claim of the corresponding reference before the reference is entitled to the earlier filing date of the provisional application. As a result, the court vacated the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s previous obviousness decision, thus rejecting the Board’s broader standard of prior art determination. 

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G 1/25 (EPO): How Far Must Claims and the Description Really Align?

The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) has just issued its decision G 1/25 ("Hydroponics"), addressing inconsistencies between the description and the claims of a European patent application, or a European patent, and what should be done about them.

UAE Strikes a New Chord in IP Protection



Effective December 1, 2026, businesses and organizations that use copyrighted music commercially across the UAE will be required to obtain the appropriate licenses and pay music royalties under the newly introduced Collective Management in Music Guide... 



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The Bahamas Joins the PCT



On August 19, 2026, the Bahamas became the 159th Contracting State of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). This development is a significant step toward modernizing the country's patent framework.

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Saudi Arabia Launches Digital Platform for Trademark Enforcement

Saudi Arabia has launched a pilot digital trademark enforcement platform called "Tahaqaq," developed by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) to strengthen customs-based anti-counterfeiting efforts...

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WIPO Launches First Global Forum on IP & AI



On November 9 and 10, 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will host the inaugural Global Forum on IP and AI in Geneva, in a hybrid format allowing participation both in person and remotely.



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UAE Opens Class 33 TM Protection for Alcoholic Beverages

The UAE has officially opened Class 33 for trademark registrations covering alcoholic beverages, marking a significant evolution in the country's IP landscape.



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Kuwait:

New Requirements for POA When Filing a TM



The Kuwait Trademark Office has introduced a change to the legalization process for Powers of Attorney (POAs) submitted with foreign trademark applications.

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Our team is delighted to be participating in the 2026 AIPPI World Congress

in Hamburg!

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