Dual Protection in Europe: When a Bicycle Bag Qualifies Both as a Registered Design and as a Copyright Work
Download Do you believe that merely changing the colour of the stitching, adding a different logo, or arguing that a design merely "follows market trends" is sufficient to avoid allegations of design infringement? The recent judgment of the District Court of The Hague (the Netherlands) in the dispute between Basil and BRN demonstrates that such an approach can no longer be regarded as a "safe harbour" for alleged infringers. The case not only marks an important victory for the bicycle bag manufacturer Basil, but also provides a compelling illustration of the dual protection mechanism available under European law, whereby an everyday utilitarian...
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