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Regulation on packaging is here – timeline on next steps
Since 12 August 2026, Regulation 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (the Packaging Regulation) has been in force across the EU, replacing the former Directive 94/62/EC. Not all of the requirements are applicable straight away – most will come into force over the next few years. Below is a practical overview of the key obligations […]
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From Eurovision to Zumba: the latest IP rulings across the Baltics
Welcome to the latest edition of Sorainen’s IP Newsflash. In this issue, we cover recent court decisions from across the Baltics on trademark infringement, customs enforcement and copyright, including the dispute over Estonia’s Eurovision-winning song. We also look at plans to rename the patent offices in Latvia and Lithuania, new EU-wide protection for geographical indications […]
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EMPCO Directive: new consumer transparency rules
Overview On 27 September 2026, new consumer transparency rules will become applicable in the EU. Directive (EU) 2024/825 (EmpCo Directive), applicable from 27 September 2026, introduces stricter rules targeting greenwashing, misleading sustainability labels and early product obsolescence. Businesses will no longer be able to rely on unsubstantiated generic green claims, uncertified sustainability labels or climate-neutrality […]
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Businesses concluding online consumer contracts will need to introduce a “withdrawal function”
What the new rules require Businesses concluding consumer contracts through a website or mobile application will be required to provide consumers with a dedicated “withdrawal function”. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that consumers can exercise their right of withdrawal in a simple and user-friendly manner and for withdrawing from a contract to […]
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IP in action: from the business of emotion to market reality
As this edition lands just ahead of Valentine’s Day, we start with a topic that feels seasonal but is very real for brand owners: how emotion, language and symbolism translate into protectable IP – and where they don’t. Even the most universal ideas, like love or romance, can become powerful commercial assets when shaped into […]