A topic of increasing interest is “non-fungible tokens” (NFTs). In general, an NFT is a unique digital identifier that is recorded in a blockchain and used to certify authenticity and ownership of a token. When in March 2021 the famous auction house Christie’s not only offered an NFT linked to the digital artwork Everydays: The First 5000 Days by Beeple but sold it for a record $69 million, payable in cryptocurrency, the crypto market took the stage in perhaps the most traditional market of all: fine art.

The growing market and demand for NFTs has also heightened interest in the legal issues surrounding the phenomenon. For example, after some initial confusion it is now understood that buying an NFT is not the same as buying the artwork or image itself – the Bored Ape, Cryptokitten or other “token” the NFT is linked to. Access to and use of the token (not the NFT) might require a special copyright license (NFT license). Other legal issues relate to the possibility to create an eternal sales commission for the producer (minter) of the NFT, and to aspects of liability – including the question whether and to what extent online platforms are liable for “infringing” NFTs on their services lacking the required NFT license. Further questions concern whether the author or other right owner has the right to issue an NFT license. There are also more fundamental questions about whether so-called smart contracts on a blockchain are in fact “contacts” in the eyes of the law.

These and other emerging legal issues related to NFTs will be presented and discussed at a webinar hosted by the Nordic Intellectual Property Law Review (Nordiskt Immateriellt Rättsskydd, NIR) on 22 November. Speaking at the webinar will be Katarina Renman Claesson, researcher and general counsel at the Artists’ Association of Sweden (Konstnärernas Riksorganisation), who has authored an article on the topic of NTFs and digital art for an upcoming issue of NIR (3/2022). The main language of the webinar will be English.

Initial comments will be provided by Dr. Branka Marušić, Senior Lecturer in EU law, Stockholm University, followed by questions and a joint discussion.

Time and place: Tuesday, 22 November from 11:45 to 13:15 via Zoom. Registration is mandatory. Zoom link and invoice will be sent out after registration. (Students and doctoral candidates may participate for free).

Fee: 400 SEK, excl. VAT (if applicable)

Varje år spenderar de offentliga myndigheterna i EU ca 16 % av BNP på offentlig upphandling. Det motsvarar 2 448 miljarder euro. De immaterialrättsliga aspekterna behöver allt oftare beaktas vid offentlig upphandling. Det handlar om allt från upphovsrätten till programvara till rätten till fotografier. De immaterialrättsliga frågorna är dock ofta något styvmoderligt behandlade i upphandlingssammanhang.

Det ter sig naturligt att associera immateriella rättigheter inom ramen för en offentlig upphandling till köp av innovationer. I EU-direktivet från 2014/24/EU framhålls att ”forskning och innovation, inklusive miljöinnovation och social innovation, tillhör de viktigaste drivkrafterna för framtida tillväxt”. Immateriella rättigheter lyfts även fram i andra sammanhang i upphandlingsdirektiven.

Christina Wainikka, docent och Policyexpert för immaterialrätt och Ellen Hausel Heldahl, jurist och expert på offentlig upphandling, båda vid Svenskt Näringsliv, har författat en kommande artikel i NIR på temat Immateriella rättigheter och offentlig upphandling. Författarna framhåller bland annat att immaterialrätt måste beaktas i allt från framtagandet av upphandlinsdokumenten, samt överväganden i samband med upphandling av något som är immaterialrättsligt skyddad, exempelvis IT-program. Vid webbinariet belyser författarna också effekterna för myndigheter och leverantörer av att myndigheter i offentliga upphandlingar använder slentrianmässigt formulerade klausuler.

Tid och plats: Onsdag 11 maj kl. 12:00-13:00 (CEST), via Zoom (länk skickas ut efter anmälan)

Kommentator: Pernilla Norman, Advokat vid Advokatfirman LexIT, samt doktorand

Ensuring access to treatments for underserved populations is a key priority in both the European Medicines Agency’s strategy for regulatory science and the EU Commission’s pharmaceutical strategy. In the last decade, the repositioning of drugs has regularly been highlighted as a promising innovation strategy for drug development for rare diseases, and various political initiatives have been taken to support such development. However, it has been difficult to assess whether this strategy has been a success. Deficiencies in terminology and methods leave the extent and character of repositioning for orphan diseases opaque, impeding sound policymaking.

These and related topics will be discussed at a webinar organized by the Nordic Intellectual Property Law Review (Nordiskt Immateriellt Rättsskydd, NIR). Speaking at the webinar will be Jakob Wested, PhD, industrial postdoc, University of Copenhagen, and John Liddicoat, PhD, Senior Research Associate; Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge, who recently published an article in NIR (issue 4/2021) on the topic of Patent Repositioning for rare diseases – too much, too little or just right? At the webinar, the speakers will present their method and analysis of the contemporary repositioning landscape for rare diseases and discuss some of the policy issues, such as overcompensation.

The presentation will be followed by comments, questions and a joint discussion. 

Time and place: Monday 25 April from 11:45 to 12:45 CET. Registration is mandatory. Zoom link and invoice will be sent out after registration. (Students and doctoral candidates may participate for free).

Fee: 400 SEK, excl. VAT (if applicable)

Comments: Associate Professor Ana Nordberg, Faculty of Law, Lund University

Moderator: Linnea Harnesk, Associate, Westerberg & Partners

How is it decided if a trademark is contrary to public policy or accepted principles of morality? What is the scope of and difference between public policy and accepted principles of morality? These and similar questions are the topic of a webinar organized by the Nordic Intellectual Property Law Review (Nordiskt Immateriellt Rättsskydd, NIR). Speaking at the webinar will be attorney-at-law Rasmus Korsgaard and attorney-at-law Nikolai Dokkedahl, both from Plesner Advokatpartnerselskab, who recently published an article in NIR (issue 3/2021) on “Swear words, the royal family and works of art – trademarks contrary to public policy or accepted principles of morality”. In the article, the background and purpose of public policy and accepted principles of morality and recent developments in case law, including most notably C-240/18 (Fack Ju Göhte) and E-5/16 (Vigeland), have been thoroughly scrutinized. 

The presentation and comments will be followed by comments, questions and a joint discussion.

Time and place: Friday 18 February from 12:00 to 13:00. 

Registration is mandatory. Zoom link and invoice will be sent out after registration. (Students and doctoral candidates may participate for free).

Fee: 400 SEK, excl. VAT (if applicable)

Comments: Associate professor, Jur. dr (LL.D) Stojan Arnerstål, Advokat (Counsel), Advokatfirman Vinge

Moderator: Linnea Harnesk, Associate, Westerberg & Partners

The Nordic Intellectual Property Law Review organises a webinar on the topic of

Intellectual Property and Sustainable Development

A topic of increasing interest and relevance is how and to which extent Intellectual Property (IP) rights can play a role in tackling the challenge of securing sustainable development. How may the core objective of IP rights to promote innovation and development of new knowledge align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals? A new anthology – Intellectual Property and Sustainable Markets – published by Edward Elgar and edited by professors Inger Ørstavik and Ole-Andreas Rognstad (University of Oslo), collects contributions on this subject by renowned scholars.

At the webinar of 26 October, professors Ørstavik and Rognstad, will present the major findings in the anthology. This will be followed by comments and a joint discussion.

Time and place: Tuesday 26 October from 12:00 to 13:00. Registration is mandatory. Zoom link and invoice will be sent out after registration. (Students and doctoral candidates may participate for free).

Fee: 400 SEK, excl. VAT (if applicable)

Comments: Prof. Sanna Wolk, KTH/Cirio Advokatbyrå, and Dr. Peter
Gottschalk, Senior Lecturer, Lund University

Moderator: Linnea Harnesk, Associate, Westerberg & Partners

Presenatation from the webinar can be found here: rognstad ørstavik nir 20211026.pdf

Tidskriften NIR  - Nordiskt Immateriellt Rättsskydd - arrangerar ett webbinarium på temat

Lojalitetsplikt inom ramen för licensavtal på immaterialrättsområdet

Med lojalitetsplikt avses olika typer av skyldigheter som avtalsparter kan ha inom ramen för sitt avtal. Det kan till exempel handla om att hålla varandra informerade om förhållanden som har betydelse för avtalet och dess uppfyllande, men även skyldighet att avstå från konkurrerande verksamhet. De närmare förutsättningarna och gränserna för lojalitetsplikten kan variera, bland annat beroende på avtalsföremålet. Vid webbinariet den 10 juni kommer vi att titta närmare på lojalitetsplikten inom ramen för licensavtal på immaterialrättsområdet.

Tid och plats: torsdag 10 juni 12:00-13:15 via Zoom. Länk skickas ut efter anmälan.


Inledningstalare
Professor Petra Sund-Norrgård, Helsingfors universitet: Allmänt om lojalitetsplikt i licensavtal

Professor Bengt Domeij, Uppsala universitet: Hanterar lojalitetsplikten möjligheten/risken att licenstagaren utvecklar en produkt som ligger utanför det licensierade patentet eller att licensgivaren gör en förbättring och därefter börjar konkurrera med licenstagaren?

Professor Morten Rosenmeier, Köpenhamns universitet, tillsammans med Anders Sevel Johnsen, Dansk Journalistforbund: Ophavsmandens loyalitetspligt

Moderator: professor Jan Rosén, Stockholms universitet

Schovsbo & Riis, NIR 1/2018: Kontrakt- og immaterialretlig konkurrence ved krænkelse af vilkår i licensaftaler om immaterialretligheder
Riis & Schovsbo, NIR 3/2020: Har ophavsretten udkonkurreret aftaleretten? Betydningen af EU-Domstolens dom i sag C-666/18 (IT Development SAS)