Talking Shop March 2023

In this edition you can find a Spotight on Sustainability, where we explore the rise in sustainable trade marks, the Australian regulators' approach to greenwashing, and new environmental labelling requirements in Italy. You can also find updates on consumer laws in Italy and Poland, the UK Windsor Framework, and much more, including information about a series of upcoming events in our Nordic offices.

Please get in touch or visit our webpage for more information about Bird & Bird's Retail & Consumer Group.

In this newsletter: 

• Spotlight on Sustainability
• Consumer Law
• Employment
• Intellectual Property
• Product Compliance
• News & Events

Spotlight on Sustainability

Global: Sustainable trade marks - the rise in green filings

Consumers appear to be moving towards sustainable trade marks. These are brands that can evidence that they are taking steps to tackle climate change by improving their business model to be more sustainable, or towards those that are developing new products, and innovating generally, to address future needs and trends.

Read the full article here 

Australia: Will it come out in the wash? Regulators continue their fight against greenwashing and misleading claims regarding ESG

The regulators in Australia are cognisant of the persuasiveness that green and sustainable claims have in influencing individuals to make purchasing or investment decisions. Regulators such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission are monitoring the market and taking enforcement action against businesses that are making false or misleading ESG claims.

Read the full article here 

Italy: New environmental labelling - requirements applicable from 1st January 2023

Italian Legislative Decree No. 116 of 3 September 2020, implementing (EU) Directive 2018/851 on waste and EU Directive 2018/852 on packaging and packaging waste, amended Article 219, para 5, of the Italian Legislative Decree no. 152 of 3 April 2006, which provides for certain environmental labelling requirements and obligations for packaging. Our experts summarise the main conditions for the correct implementation of the labelling requirements by your company.

Read the full article here 

Consumer Law

Italy: New consumer protection rules arrive in Italy - the decree implementing the Omnibus Directive has been published

The Legislative Decree - which will definitively enter into force on 2 April 2023 - considerably expands the protection granted to consumers by introducing significant amendments and additions to Legislative Decree No. 206 of 6 September 2005.

Read the full article here

Poland: Latest EU ruling and its impact on Polish Swiss franc loans

In a judgment of 12 January 2023 (Lithuanian case C-395/21), the CJEU explained what a trader’s obligations are when concluding a contract with a consumer where the financial consequences of the consumer’s commitment depend on future events that are unforeseeable and beyond the consumer’s control. The judgment is important for Polish consumers involved in disputes with banks over what are known as franking agreements (Swiss franc-denominated loans).

Read the full article here

Employment

Global: Guide on confidential information, trade secrets and post-termination restrictions

Our international Employment team provides global employers with country-by-country guidance to understand the different legal frameworks that apply to confidential information, trade secrets and post-termination restrictions in the countries where they operate, as well as how best to protect themselves.

Read the full article here

Germany: Trip to Paris Fashion Week - employees' free time and the employer's right to issue instructions

The forward player Serge Gnabry used his free time — between two Bundesliga matches — for a short trip to the French capital to visit the Paris Fashion Week. This choice of leisure time activities did not meet with much sympathy from his employer, so the question arises: To what extent is an employer allowed to interfere with the leisure time activities of their employees?

Read the full article here

Intellectual Property

Singapore: Of luxury bags and soup cans - what if the Metabirkins case was fought in Singapore?

The highly anticipated verdict in the fight between Hermes and Mason Rothschild, the creator of a collection of “Metabirkins” NFTs, is in. On 7 February 2023, the jury determined that Rothschild’s use of Hermes’ BIRKIN mark in the title of his NFT collection was not entitled to be protected as free speech under the First Amendment, but instead constituted trademark infringement, trademark dilution and cybersquatting. The verdict has been widely billed as an affirmation that trademark rights in the real world can extend into the virtual world, but has also provoked fears of a chilling effect on creativity, especially for artists making forays into the digital realm. As it may be some time yet before a similar fight reaches Singapore's sunny shores, we examine two key themes in the case and how these could potentially be approached by the Singapore courts.

Read the full article here 

Product Compliance

UK: The Windsor Framework - one step closer to a single UK market

The UK Government and the EU Commission recently reached initial agreement, by way of the so-called ‘Windsor Framework’, regarding the potential future practical implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in a way that alleviates some of the challenges brought about by the dual regulatory regime. From a UK internal market perspective, the Windsor Framework suggests that products placed on the Northern Ireland market, and which are intended to stay within Northern Ireland (and the UK), will be freed of unnecessary paperwork, checks and duties, and that UK product compliance requirements (currently applicable to Great Britain) will also apply to products intended for the Northern Ireland market.

Read the full article here

News & Events

What’s on the Horizon for the Retail & Consumer sector in the Nordics?

25 April (Copenhagen)
26 April (Helsinki)
27 April (Stockholm)

08:30 EET

At our exclusive in-person Nordic breakfast seminar moderated by Counsels Caroline Grotenfelt and Iina-Mari Supperi, our Nordic Retail & Consumer Group will explore some of the most topical themes within the sector, such as the legal implications of the D2C business model, sustainability requirements, security incidents in the sector, and the latest developments in NFTs and the metaverse.

The seminar will be held in each of our three Nordic locations: Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm. Please choose the date and country that works best for you - the topics and speakers are identical in each location.

Find out more and RSVP here

International Business-to-Consumer Webinar: Consumer Contracts

Wednesday 19 April, 16:00 BST
Webinar

We are delighted to invite you to the second in our International Business-to-Consumer series of webinars, covering the latest developments in consumer protection laws around the world. In particular, we will explore:

• The UK: The anticipated Consumer Rights Bill
• The EU: The impact of the Omnibus Directive in Europe; The proposed Directive for Better Protection Against Unfair Practices
• Australia: The Australia Treasury Laws Amendment (More Competition, Better Prices) Bill 2022

Find out more and RSVP here

The Genesis Project: Introduction to Law for Start-Ups

Wednesday 12 April, 16:30 BST
London

We will take you on a whistle stop tour of the basic corporate, commercial, intellectual property and employment legal information needed for start-ups. The seminar will be delivered by leading experts in each specialism. The session will also include tips on how to get the best out of your lawyer.

The seminar will be followed by a workshop where you can ask questions and get our advice on how to tackle the legal issues you are facing.

Find out more and RSVP here