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What Happened in the Field of Intellectual Property Worldwide? - July 2025

This newsletter compiles global intellectual property news from various media sources.


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EUIPO SME Fund 2025: Applications for Patent and Plant Variety Grants to Reopen on June 2


The SME Fund, which supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe in protecting their intellectual property (IP) and fostering innovation, has reopened for 2025.


Launched as a pilot initiative in 2021, the fund has provided grant support to more than 80,000 SMEs over the past four years. The 2025 edition opened on February 3, receiving an overwhelming response. While applications for IP scans and trademark or design vouchers are still being accepted, Voucher 3 (patents) and Voucher 4 (plant varieties) reached their limits within just 8 days.


However, these two funding streams reopened on June 2, 2025, offering SMEs a renewed opportunity to receive non-refundable financial support for implementing their IP strategies.


The support mechanism works on a reimbursement basis, meaning SMEs pay for the service and then receive partial reimbursement through the grant. This structure makes the SME Fund particularly valuable for businesses with limited financial resources.


Interested companies are encouraged to stay informed through the official SME Fund website, where application guidelines and updates are regularly published.


The program is managed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which oversees the registration of EU trademarks, designs, and geographical indications for craft and industrial products.

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Lacoste vs. Crocodile International – A 23-Year Logo Battle


The legal dispute between Lacoste and Crocodile International stands as a significant case illustrating how brands can engage in prolonged legal battles over visual similarities. Spanning 23 years, the case centered on Lacoste’s desire to protect its crocodile logo—which it registered in the 1930s and which forms the foundation of its brand identity—in the Indian market. The conflict began when Singapore-based Crocodile International applied for trademark registration in India in 2001 using a similar crocodile logo.


Lacoste argued that the only difference between the two logos was the direction they faced, and that an average consumer could easily confuse the two when viewed without brand names. In response, Crocodile International cited a 1983 coexistence agreement, claiming that this agreement was extended to include India in 1985. However, the Delhi High Court rejected this defense, stating that the agreement did not explicitly cover India, nor did it show any clear intention by the parties to include the country.


The court found that Lacoste failed to provide sufficient evidence of its brand recognition and reputation in the Indian market. It also noted that the digital evidence presented by Lacoste did not comply with procedural requirements. Consequently, the court dismissed Lacoste’s “passing off” claim, meaning that even though there was potential for consumer confusion, Lacoste could not legally assert unfair competition due to insufficient proof of market goodwill in India. Furthermore, the court ruled that due to the limited ways a crocodile can be graphically represented, the visual similarity between the two logos did not constitute copyright infringement.


As a result, Lacoste did not prevail in India, although its trademark rights continue to be successfully upheld in several other countries. This case has become a classic example of how geographical boundaries, contract interpretation, and brand recognition can play a decisive role in intellectual property litigation.



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 World Intellectual Property Day 2025 Youth Video Competition: Meet the Winners


The winners of the World Intellectual Property Day 2025 Youth Video Competition have been announced, celebrating the creativity and innovation of young people around the world.


Under the theme "Making Innovation and Creativity Work with Music", the competition attracted more than 127 entries from participants across 62 countries. Young talents from diverse backgrounds impressed the jury with their original and inspiring video projects.


The winning entries stood out not only for their technical quality but also for how they reflected the power of innovation and the cultural richness of intellectual property. Discover the winners and their inspiring work:


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Geographical Indications System Holds an Annual Economic Value of Around €75 Billion in the EU


Hosted by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT), the conference titled "Recent Developments in Geographical Indications in Türkiye and the EU" focused on the registration, inspection, branding, and EU cooperation processes of geographical indications.


The event was attended by TÜRKPATENT President Prof. Dr. M. Zeki Durak and João Onofre, Head of the Geographical Indications Unit at the European Commission. Prof. Durak emphasized Türkiye’s strength in this area, with 1,724 registered geographical indications—making it the second highest in the world after China. While 31 Turkish products have already been registered in the EU, applications for 81 more are currently underway.


João Onofre stated that the geographical indications system contributes approximately €75 billion annually to the EU economy and described Türkiye as a “key partner” in this field.


During the conference, the official EU Registration Certificate for Aydın Memecik Olive was formally presented to the Aydın Commodity Exchange. The program also included technical meetings between EU and Turkish officials, along with the introduction of Türkiye’s geographically indicated products to the EU delegation.

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WIPO Global Awards 2025 Finalists Announced: Celebrating Innovation and Intellectual Property for a Better Future

The 2025 edition of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Global Awards has attracted a record-breaking 780+ applications from 95 countries. The program highlights how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups worldwide use intellectual property to drive innovation and sustainable impact across industries.

This year’s distinguished 30 finalists stand out for their innovative solutions, strong intellectual property strategies, and contributions to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The winners will be announced on 11 July 2025 during the WIPO General Assemblies held in Geneva, Switzerland.

WIPO Global Awards 2025: Five Categories

Finalists were selected across five main categories: Health, Environment, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Creative Industries, and Agrifood. The selection process was based on four key criteria:

  • The company’s business model and existing IP portfolio

  • Future growth potential and international IP strategy

  • Intellectual property culture within the company

  • Positive impact on society

For the first time, the awards introduced a dual-category system, recognizing both startups and SMEs separately to highlight innovation and IP excellence at different stages of business development.

The WIPO Global Awards continue to encourage companies not only to innovate but also to strategically protect their innovations, contributing to a better future.


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