Made up of lawyers and IP attorneys in the UK office, we will not only be reporting on the latest news but in some cases helping to shape the way the IP industry is responding to the post-Brexit world. Our team are already commenting in the media about what this means and are active on key committees and task forces.
Arty Rajendra - Chair of IPLA Brexit Working Group for Trade Marks & Designs
Jeremy Newman - INTA Brexit Rapid Response Group
Mark Foreman - ITMA Brexit Task Force (Registered Rights)
We have set up a mailing list for those of you who are interested in the continuing aftermath of the Brexit decision. If you would like to receive these updates, please click here. We will still include these in the Rouse Magazine. You can also find relevant articles and these updates on our newly created Brexit microsite.
Last week UK courts heard the first legal challenge to the process of Brexit with claimants arguing that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and not the Prime Minister. A member state can only leave the EU by invoking and serving notice under Article 50 of its intention to withdraw from the EU and specifies that both sides should negotiate the withdrawal and the departing country's future relationship with the EU.
The outcome of the challenge will pose some serious political and constitutional questions because the majority of Parliament was in favour of remaining in the EU. While the full trial will not be heard until later this year, we did learn from the UK Government's lawyers that the UK's new Prime Minister, Theresa May, will not be invoking Article 50 this year. With the process of negotiating the UK exit from the European Union expected to last two years from notification under Article 50, this means it will continue to be 'business as usual' until early 2019 at least.
In other news, the IP Federation ('IP Fed'), a body which represents the views of UK industry, has published its Brexit policy position paper. This can be found on the IP Fed website. Of most interest, is the IP Fed's view that the UK should not ratify the UPC Agreement unless there is a guarantee that the UK can participate in the UPC after it leaves the EU.