Opportunistic filings relating to the Covid-19 pandemic are rising worldwide. A brief search of the UKIPO and EUIPO registers for "CORONAVIRUS" revealed seven new applications including "KEEP CALM AND CORONA VIRUS ON", "Coronavirus level crazy" and "CORONA VIRUS FREE". All are at examination stage and it remains to be seen whether they will proceed to publication. In China, the Chinese trade mark office rejected more than 300 trade mark applications related to the fight against Coronavirus by 18 March 2020 alone on the basis that they were filed "maliciously".
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As the world struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade mark registers have seen a spree of opportunistic filings related to the disease and its impact on our lives.
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