Insights

BYD, the Chinese carmaker, is being sued in Indonesia over Denza, the name of its premium sub-brand. A local company that holds an Indonesian registration for DENZA in Class 12 is asking the Jakarta Commercial Court for damages and an order stopping Denza vehicle sales (news). These are the claimant's requests; the court has not ruled on the merits, and BYD's local unit has started promoting the cars as Danza. The lesson works in every direction, including for foreign brands entering China: a registration for your house brand does not cover your sub-brands. This guide explains what to register in China for sub-brands and product lines, and what to check first if someone else already holds the mark. It is general information; the Chinese Trademark Law and the facts of each case decide the outcome.

The fight over the Indonesian name of Denza, BYD's premium brand, has taken a new turn. The SIPP case system of the Commercial Court at the Central Jakarta District Court shows that trade mark case No. 101/Pdt.Sus-HKI/Merek/2026/PN Niaga Jkt.Pst was registered on 8 September 2026. The plaintiff is the Indonesian company PT Raden Reza Adi; the seven defendants are BYD Company Limited, two BYD companies in Indonesia and four dealers.

According to the complaint as reported by CNN Indonesia and detikOto, the plaintiff asks the court to:

Before WIPO's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) meets for its 49th session, one document in the meeting papers deserves a close read. On 23 October WIPO published the Scoping Study on AI Training and Copyright (SCCR/49/6) as a document for SCCR/49, to be held in Geneva from 30 November to 4 December 2026. The study was commissioned by the WIPO Secretariat, and its disclaimer says the views are the authors', not those of member states or the Secretariat.

Applicants in Madagascar will soon be able to file PCT international applications at home. WIPO's PCT Newsletter No. 10/2026, published in October 2026, reports that the Malagasy Industrial Property Office (OMAPI) has notified the International Bureau that it will act as receiving Office for applicants who are residents or nationals of Madagascar, with effect from 2 January 2027.

Under Rule 19.1 of the PCT Regulations, an applicant may file with the national Office of the State of residence or nationality or, whatever the residence or nationality, with WIPO's International Bureau.

The European Union seized more than 196 million counterfeit items worth about EUR 6.3 billion in 2025, a 67% increase in volume on 2024, according to a report published by the EUIPO and the European Commission on 22 October 2026 (news). Many of those goods are made in China. For a brand owner, that points to a practical approach: ask customs to watch for copies at both ends, where they enter Europe and where they leave China. This guide explains how each system works and how they fit together. It is general information; EU Regulation 608/2013, Chinese customs rules and the facts of each case decide the outcome.

Transferring a portfolio of patents, trade marks or designs across borders currently means a separate assignment recordal at every IP office, each with its own system, language, documents and fees. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is building the Global IP Assignment Platform (GIPAP) to turn this into one guided process: prepare, submit and track assignment filings for several IP offices in one place. According to WIPO's published timeline, the platform is now in its pilot phase, running from the third quarter of 2026 to the third quarter of 2027.