In her contribution to the Wolters Kluwer Copyright Blog Landine Varela discusses the judgment in the Birkenstock v. Scapino case, pronounced by the District Court of Central Netherlands. Read the blog below, which was published on February 19, 2026. The German company Birkenstock is known to the general public for its sandals and has regularly been involved in lawsuits to ....

Introduction In a default judgment dated December 22, 2025, the District Court in Düsseldorf ruled that the body of the Fender Stratocaster guitar qualifies as a copyright-protected work. Fender is now actively relying on this judgment in cease and desist letters to guitar manufacturers throughout Europe, demanding the destruction of stocks and threatening hefty fines. […]

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Imagine you have spent months developing a new product, come up with a catchy brand name, or taken a beautiful photo. Naturally, you don’t want someone just running off with it. Understandable. But how do you ensure it is protected? And what if you discover that someone is copying your name or design without permission […]

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ARQUE Advocaten is assisting snack bar Wendy’s from Goes in the long-running dispute against the American Wendy’s regarding the trademark “Wendy’s”. On January 14, 2026, the appellate body of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) issued three notable rulings in this case. History between the parties Snack bar Wendy’s, named after the owner’s daughter, […]

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Landine Varela wrote a blog for fashionunited.nl about the copyright aspects of commissioned works. Read the blog below, which was published on April 22, 2025. The fashion world thrives on creativity. From unique prints to innovative silhouettes – designers bring a vision to life with their work. But behind that creativity lies a legal reality […]

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