Trade Mark Law & Practice at a Glance – May 2026

UKIPO update

UKIPO fee increases

As of 1 April 2026, the new UKIPO fees came into effect with an average increase of 25%.  For example, the fee for filing a UK trade mark application online has increased from £170 to £205. The fee for each additional class has increased from £50 to £60. Read more about it here.

New designs practice notice

On 21 April 2026, the UKIPO issued new guidance on protecting digital designs such as graphical user interfaces and webpages, including where these types of designs incorporate animation or movement.

The guidance has been provided in response to applicants asking for greater clarity as to how to file these types of designs. Our report on the guidance can be seen here.

UKIPO maintains funding for the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU)

The UKIPO has announced that it will continue to fund the PIPCU until March 2029. The PIPCU is a specialist unit with the City of London police, which aims to investigate and prevent significantly harmful intellectual property crime. This unit was established in 2013 with funding from the UKIPO. Read more about it here.

EUIPO update

EUIPO’s advisory board for Craft and Industrial Geographical Indications (CIGIs) 

On 11 February 2026, the EUIPO’s Advisory Board held its first plenary meeting, marking a significant step in the EUIPO’s new expansion into this area. The Advisory Board will support the EUIPO’s Geographical Indications Division, the Boards of Appeal and the European Commission, and where relevant, in matters relating to craft and industrial geographical indications. Read more about it here.

New EU common practices

The EUIPO has published two new practices – CP16 and CP17. CP16 provides guidance on descriptive signs, while CP17 addresses the distinctive character of slogans. These Common Practices aim to further the harmonisation of trade mark examination across the EU member states.

New financial partnership between EUIPO and EIF

The EUIPO and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding following a recent IP-backed finance study which revealed that the IP value held by European businesses are not fully utilised when it comes to seeking financing. This partnership presents a practical step towards helping businesses leverage their IP rights and developing IP-backed financing solutions. Read more about it here.

Worldwide update

New WIPO fees for Member States

There have been changes to individual fees payable for the following Member States listed below. These entered into force in April 2026, except for Türkiye where the changes will take effect on 7 June 2026.  Review the updated fee schedule in Swiss francs via the WIPO notice here.

• Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, China, Curaçao, Estonia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), Pakistan, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uzbekistan and Zambia

Updates for Qatar

The Qatar Trade Mark Office has issued a few updates in relation to its practices.

For manual payments in respect of publication, opposition, registration and renewals, the issuance of a physical receipt has been temporarily suspended. However, an additional grace period will be granted for deadlines that fall during this period (more information on the additional grace period to be announced later).

This does not apply to filing a counterstatement or responding to office actions which are done via email.

Fair Competition Commission update in Tanzania

From 26 January 2026, as a result of a recent Court of Appeal decision, international registrations are no longer accepted by the Tanzania Fair Competition Commission (TFCC) for recordation purposes (as part of their mandatory recordation system for imported goods). The TFCC will only accept such registrations where it is registered with the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency. Neither a pending national application, nor African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) trade marks, are sufficient. This is particularly important to note for enforcement purposes against imported counterfeit goods. 

Simplified procedure for trade mark reservations in South Sudan

South Sudan is currently discussing and developing its legal framework for trade mark procedures, including filing and prosecution. While this is underway, Sudan practises a trade mark reservation process whereby the mark is recorded in the national database, which will preclude third parties from filing similar/identical marks.

A notarised, physical Power of Attorney is no longer required for trade mark reservation. A scanned, colour copy of a signed and sealed Power of Attorney is now sufficient. If no seal is available, then a signed Power of Attorney is acceptable.

WIPO’s Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Interchange (AIII)

On 17 March 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) launched its new AI initiative focusing on driving discussion and implementation of AI in the global IP ecosystem. The press release can be found here.

Brazil adopts the Madrid e-filing service

It is now possible to file international applications online through the Madrid System’s e-filing service in Brazil, the first in Latin America. Read more about it here.

Geographical indications (GIs) in Australia

As part of a new free trade agreement between the EU and Australia, Australia is required to roll out a new protection framework to ensure adequate protection for a number of spirit and agricultural EU GIs in Australia. View the full list here.