Intellectual Property & Industrial Property Law Munich

Design law is undergoing its most comprehensive modernisation in decades. At EU level, the reform of the registered EU design system has applied since 1 May 2025, with its second phase in force since 1 July 2026. In Germany, the Bundestag adopted the Act to Modernise Design Law on 24 September 2026; the Bundesrat did not refer it to the Mediation Committee on 16 October 2026. For businesses, this means that animations, graphical user interfaces, icons, virtual products and spatial

Advertising for aesthetic treatments is subject to strict legal requirements.In particular, presenting treatment results through before-and-after images can raise legal concerns. In its ruling of 31 July 2025 (Case No. I ZR 170/24), the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) held that certain minimally invasive cosmetic procedures involving hyaluronic acid are also covered by the advertising ban under the German Therapeutic Products Advertising Act (Heilmittelwerbegesetz, HWG). This establishes that the ban is not limited to conventional cosmetic surgery involving a

German Federal Court of Justice (BGH), decision of 17 September 2026 – I ZB 58/25 Colours can have considerable economic value for companies. Some companies are recognised by their distinctive corporate colour, in some cases even before their company name or logo is noticed. It can therefore be attractive not only to use a particular colour as part of a corporate design, but also to protect it under trademark law. However, protecting a colour as an abstract colour mark is