Latest articles
We present you the forty-ninth instalment of our newsletter bringing you interesting facts from the world of competition law. This time for September 2024. Regular readers know that this is a purely subjective selection of events that we found interesting.
Legal handbook for filmmakers: legal challenges of (co-)production – lights, camera, contract!
What legal steps must a producer take before the first clapperboard, to ensure their audiovisual work can see the light of day? Without solid legal foundations – from securing rights for individual shots to contractual relationships with each crew member – production can quickly turn into a nightmar
How to protect digital products against counterfeits?
Counterfeiting and unauthorized access to authentic products are growing problems that brands across all industries are grappling with. It goes beyond importation of fake handbags and sale of counterfeit paintings falsely attributed to famous artists. The EUIPO has published a clear guide on the ACA
Globally unique hub for domain dispute resolution? The Czech Republic
Clients increasingly report falling victim to domain speculators. This year marks a record for our office in the number of domain disputes handled. The Czech Arbitration Court is experiencing a similar surge as it authorised to resolve disputes not only within the .cz and .eu domains but also within
First judgment on AI-generated works in the Czech Republic: Where does mechanical use end and human creativity begin?
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has introduced a wide range of previously unresolved legal challenges for society, particularly in the realm of copyright law. Can an AI-generated work be protected by copyright if a human contributed to its creation by merely providing a command
The European Union's new design protection package: Key changes and prospects
In October 2024, the European Union adopted a package of design law reforms aimed at fundamentally improving design protection in the EU. This "design package" includes a new the revised directive on the legal protection of designs and the amended regulation on European Union designs that do not onl
Competition
When the Competition Authority gets dragged into the game... (Overview of Competition Events for September 2024)
We present you the forty-ninth instalment of our newsletter bringing you interesting facts from the world of competition law. This time for September 2024. Regular readers know that this is a purely subjective selection of events that we found interesting.
IP
How to protect digital products against counterfeits?
Counterfeiting and unauthorized access to authentic products are growing problems that brands across all industries are grappling with. It goes beyond importation of fake handbags and sale of counterfeit paintings falsely attributed to famous artists. The EUIPO has published a clear guide on the ACA
GDPR
The new Digital Markets Act and its impact on marketing of online stores
The long-awaited major change in the collection and use of cookies, which was supposed to ban third-party cookies in Google Chrome, is not taking place in the end. However, new obligations have already emerged in the shadow of the event, including the obligation to redesign cookie bars on websites b
Consumer
Czech and Slovak price reduction regulation – what is the same and what is different?
The new price reduction rules adopted to protect consumers from “fake” price reductions and price manipulation continue to be a hotly debated topic. While in the Czech Republic, the rules have been in force for almost two years, in Slovakia companies had to prepare for them as late as this July. For
Life Sciences
Boundaries of telemedicine defined – what will the new decree bring?
In early October, an amendment to the Health Services Act came into force, which brought a completely new definition of telemedicine – i.e. the provision of health services via information technology. The Ministry of Health has submitted a long-awaited decree to lay down more precise rules for the p
Corporate
H&P corporate judgment: Liability of foreign elected body members for company debts (September 2024)
As a judgment of the month of September (Case No. 27 Cdo 3032/2023) we present a landmark decision that sheds light on the international jurisdiction of courts in disputes involving the liability of an elected body member for a company’s debts. These disputes often arise when a member—frequently a f
Venture Capital
A Fresh Breeze from Germany: €12 Billion Boost for Startups
The German initiative WIN, backed by the government and over 30 major companies, pledges a €12 billion investment into startups by 2030. The goal is to boost innovation and competitiveness within Germany and Europe. This program opens new opportunities also for Czech and Slovak startups that can ben
Technology
AI from a lawyer’s perspective: What issues are we currently tackling?
Artificial intelligence tools and systems are now in the focus of almost every major company as part of their innovation agenda. Whether a company is developing these technologies, implementing them for their customers, preparing a strategy for their adoption, or simply planning to use them, it is a
Other fields
English Translation of the Czech Act on Class Actions
On 1 July 2024 the Act No. 179/2024 Coll. on on Civil Class Proceedings entered into force. Colleagues from the Litigation Department of HAVEL & PARTNERS have prepared an unofficial (and non-binding) English translation of the Act for free use by the professional community.
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