A trademark is any sign which, in the course of trade, can distinguish the goods or services from those of other undertakings. Trademarks are often also used as indications of a certain quality or life style (such as Lancome® trademark represents the luxury cosmetics) or as a marketing tool (such as the IKEA® and VOLVO® marks, which are featured not only on furniture but also on their services) ...
On 2 July 2014, the new regulations regarding further building permit exemption measures will come into effect. Among the news is the opportunity to construct 25 m2 ancillary residential dwelling without requiring a building permit. However, the amendments are not entirely without controversy and have been met by strong criticism from several respondents ...
The technology to “print” three dimensional objects with a 3D printer is not new, but as prices for the technology fall it becomes more readily available for private individuals. The possibilities that open up when individuals get access to 3D printers trigger the imagination, but the accompanying issues are not without complications. The technology, and the new areas of use to which it is put, also raises many questions, particularly regarding intellectual property rights ...
BackgroundIndustrial activities are of great importance to Europe’s financial wealth. Industrial emissions, however, cause environmental pollution and industrial emissions constitute a major part of Europe’s total emissions to air, water and soil. Consequently, there is a need for regulation of industrial operations at an EU level.In view hereof the so-called IPPC Directive (Integrated Pollution Prevention Control) was adopted in 1996 ...
A new Consumer Credit Act (Sw. Konsumentkreditlagen (2010:1846)) came into effect on 1 January 2011. The Act implements the Consumer Credit Directive (Directive 2008/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on credit agreements for consumers and repealing Council Directive 87/102/EEC). The Directive’s purpose is to enhance consumer protection by addressing some of the indebtedness problems caused by text message loans (Sw ...
It is, to say the least, an overwhelming time. On 16 March 2020, the government presented a proposal for support measures to companies and employees to mitigate the effects of the corona virus. The proposal was followed on 19 March 2020, by the bill “Additional Amending Budget due to the Corona Virus”. Read this article as a PDF here ...
On 1 December, the Swedish Parliament resolved on the delayed legislative amendments to the Swedish Companies Act which, among other things, concern the mode of convening general meetings, on which we reported in previous newsletters (October 2009 and June 2010). The new rules take effect on 1 January 2011 ...
At the beginning of this year the Supreme Court delivered a decision of principle interest regarding a computer software distributor’s right to severance pay (case no. T 930-06). Through the decision, the court has clarified that the Commercial Agency Act (1991:352) ( “Agency Act”) can be applied analogously to marketing and collecting of orders for computer software, despite the fact that computer software does not constitute goods under the act ...
The Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce upholds a strong position as one of the most important centres of international arbitration. The steady growth in the number of cases involving foreign parties that are administered by the Arbitration Institute convincingly demonstrates its worldwide popularity and reputation ...
On 3 March 2014, the Government presented the bill ”Enhanced competition supervision” (Sw: “Förbättrad konkurrenstillsyn”) (Governmental Bill, prop. 2013/14:135) which contains several suggested changes to the Swedish Competition Act which relate, inter alia, to leniency and the possibility to suspend time limits during merger control assessments ...
At today’s press conference, the Swedish Government announced a series of support measures for companies and employees to relieve the effects of the new corona virus. Introduction of short-term work as per today The proposal means that the employer’s salary costs can be reduced by half as the Swedish Government will bear a significantly greater responsibility for costs, compared to when the law was introduced in 2013 ...
Firstly the act now expressly states that planning and building shall promote good economic growth and effective competition. This change is a clear signal from the legislator that municipalities must not only take into consideration the social and ecological effects in their planning but also the development of commerce and the provision of commercial service ...
Important changes in, inter alia, the Rights of Priority Act (Sw. förmånsrättslagen) entered into effect on 1 January 2009. For example, it becomes possible to use personal property of the business as collateral security for loans in businesses. Elisabeth Söderholm, associate at Delphi Lawfirm, Gothenburg, reports on the new rules ...
In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the ownership and rights to intellectual property conceived and put into to practice by researchers employed by the universities have historically rested with the researchers themselves. This system is now rapidly changing to a model more similar to the way in which US universities handle their intellectual property; universities become responsible for stakeholders in such intellectual property ...
Due to the corona outbreak and the disease covid-19, various legal issues have arisen. The spread of the coronavirus has, inter alia, lead to several companies deciding to take measures before upcoming shareholders’ meetings, which for many public companies involve the gathering of a large number of shareholders ...
Many companies’s apply employment terms – either in a general commission plan or in the individual employment contract – which can entail major unforeseen costs in the form of retroactive claims from employees for holiday pay or pension payments. There are certain differences in judgement between companies which are bound by collective bargaining agreements and those companies which are not ...
It is important for all companies to remember that a crisis, such as the current economic crisis that has arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, cannot be used as an excuse for companies to act as they please. EU and Swedish competition law, both the cartel prohibition and the prohibition on abuse of a dominant position, applies during a crisis as well ...
It has now been clarified that a consultancy, which is not itself active on a certain market, can be found guilty of participation in an anti-competitive cooperation. This was decided by the Court of First Instance in a judgment from 8 July, 2008, T-99/04, AC-Treuhand AG v the European Commission. The judgment is unique in that it is the first time this principle has been upheld in any of the community courts ...
Introduction From the seller's perspective, knowing the outcome of the sale process in terms of the price that it will obtain for a company is always of great importance. Usually, a buyer will make an offer to buy a company on a 'cash and debt-free' basis, meaning that the purchase price offered (ie, the enterprise value) will be adjusted up or down depending on the company's financial position at a given time to reach the actual purchase price ...
Buyers and sellers often have different views on how much a target is worth and how its value should best be determined. Normally, the valuation of a company is based on both its past performance and its projected future performance. While the seller may be confident of the company's future growth, the buyer may be reluctant to assume the risk of the company failing to perform as expected by paying the seller the whole purchase price upfront ...
Is your business affected by counterfeiting? If so, you are not alone. A newly released study shows that almost all intellectual property dependent companies listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm 30 Index have been affected. Moreover, most expect that the problem will continue to grow. Better political support is required to stem this development, but companies already have several weapons available to use against the counterfeiters ...
The spread of the Coronavirus now affects all parts of society. Businesses must review their operations to minimize the negative consequences that may follow. At the same time, it is important to be aware of the legal consequences that may arise from risk minimization. Below is a general summary of some issues that can arise for tenants in commercial premises ...
Because of the coronavirus, several questions related to processing of personal data must be raised – in particular within the context of work life. In this article, we touch on some of the most important aspects employers should consider when processing employees’ personal data. A few days ago, the Swedish Data Protection Authority also published its guidance on the coronavirus and personal data. The guidance is available here (only in Swedish) ...
