englischThe work examines the limits of protection of technical inventions in trademark law and their effects on the scope of protection. To that effect, a differentiation is made from design, copyright and unfair competition law. The protection of technical inventions under trademark law entails [...]

englischThis dissertation is a comprehensive analysis of the "transactional decision" as a core term of unfair competition law. After a historical overview, the thesis fills a gap in the German literature by an extensive systematisation of case law and literature on the term. On this basis, and [...]

englisch„The Right to Read is the Right to Mine“ is the demand of various research institutions from Europe and the US. Computational analysis of content using Text and Data Mining (TDM) should be legal, even if the content is protected under copyright law. How does copyright law resolve the [...]

englischThe jurisdiction and literature views on company trademarks and domain names have been clarified for years. However, the path that has led to this approach and its dogmatic effects on trademark law have never been questioned in detail. This paper therefore examines whether the protection of [...]

englischTrade via the Internet and high competitive pressure on companies means that recommendation marketing by (neutral) third parties is used to persuade consumers to make a purchase decision. In particular, marketing with quality labels and influencers enjoys great popularity, but also opens up [...]

englischWho has to bear the costs of a warning letter and under which circumstances? The dissertation examines this question, which has existed since the inception of the legal institution of warning letters, on the basis of the possible legal bases that can be considered for reimbursement of costs. [...]

englischThe work deals with the conflict of interest between ownership and copyright in architectural works. The legal systems of Switzerland and the United Kingdom are taken into account by way of legal comparison. The opposing positions are classified in terms of fact, constitutional law, contract [...]

englischThe steadily advancing digitalisation is also leading to an increasing number of patent applications for networked technologies. Networking and the transfer of information take place without regard to national borders and therefore, at first glance, seem to contradict national patent law, [...]

englischThe thesis answers under which conditions film excerpts of a pre-existing work or motion picture may be used for video-based user-generated content (UGC) such as fan films without the consent of the rights holder and undertakes a legal classification in European, German and U.S. copyright [...]

englischThe question of possible limitations to injunctive relief under patent law has once again become the focus of public attention. The core of the discussion is whether the enforcement of injunctive relief in its current form can lead to unjustified hardship for infringers and third parties. As [...]

englischOn the World Wide Web, of all places, the availability of feature films often ends at national borders. The reason for this is so-called geoblocking. Geoblocking can be used to technically enforce spatial restrictions on copyright usage rights. However, this seems to be in direct conflict [...]

englischThe work discusses the protection of graphic-communicative forms of use, through copyright-, design-, trademark- and competition law.

Pictorial symbols and graphical designs have been means of visual communication since ancient times. Even today, advertising graphics, pictograms or business [...]

englischThe German Federal Constitutional Court developed the “right to a verbal counterstrike” in a limited number of decisions. It describes the possibility for one party to be able to react adequately to a cause, a “strike”, with a statement, or “counterstrike”, under statutes protecting freedom [...]

englischThis dissertation examines influencer marketing in terms of media and competition law. An in-depth analysis is necessary because inconsistent case law and literature have led to considerable legal uncertainties. First, the background of advertising psychology is discussed, before the legal [...]

englischIn implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/943, Section 3 (1) No. 2 GeschGehG (German Trade Secrets Act) explicitly legalizes reverse engineering for the first time in the history of German trade secrets law. Subject of this thesis is a comprehensive exploration of this new freedom of reverse [...]

englisch"Artificial Intelligence“ (AI) is experiencing a boom which has undoubtedly impacted copyright law. “AI“-generated works such as “The Next Rembrandt" raise the question whether, against the conventional anthropocentric focus of copyright law, such works are eligible for protection de lege [...]

englischRatings on the internet have an enormous influence on consumers' demand decisions. They can reduce information asymmetries and thus strengthen the free development of market forces. This, however, only holds true if the information as well as its preparation and presentation are reliable. [...]

englischPublishing contracts are often concluded across borders raising the question of the applicable law. As many domestic intellectual property systems differ greatly in terms of copyright protection the applicable law is particularly relevant for the outcome of legal disputes. The decisive [...]

englischCompany signs can be protected by trademark law and unfair competition law. However, can the two legal instruments be applied cumulatively? If the results obtained under the two laws conflict with each other, how can the conflict be resolved?

The German Federal Court of Justice has [...]

englischAd blockers touch on numerous, as yet unresolved legal issues. While ad blockers have so far been judged primarily on the basis of unfair competition law, this work shows that the decisive factor is rather copyright law. This theme is developed with regard to the current case law [...]

englischThe author examines the protection of trade secrets in civil proceedings. He focuses on analysing the new regulations for procedural trade secret protection by the German Act on the Protection of Trade Secrets (GeschGehG) and the Directive (EU) 2016/943. Whereas trade secret holders [...]

englischStore design is becoming increasingly important: Long before Apple Store and Co. original store designs have captivated us. In an increasingly competitive market, store design entails considerable material and non-material value.

However, protection against counterfeit store design so far [...]

englischIs a uniform European doctrine of equivalence within reach in light of the recent UK Supreme Court decision in Actavis v. Eli Lilly? Taking a comparative approach, the thesis outlines the development of case law on the scope of patent protection in Germany and the United Kingdom by looking [...]

englischThe thesis examines the Creative Commons Licenses 4.0 and the CC Zero 1.0 license using the example of granting rights of use for university teaching.

It analyses to what extent these model license agreements are compatible with the requirements of German copyright and contract law and [...]

englischWith the increasing digitalization of the European single market, the freedom of panorama as a limitation to copyright is becoming increasingly important for our society. While the law initially benefited primarily landscape and urban painters, nowadays it is photographers, film-makers, the [...]

englischThe contract types stipulated in the German Civil Code (“BGB”) in the form standardized in the BGB do not sufficiently reflect the legal requirements of software projects using the Scrum method .This thesis examines the possibilities to what extent contract design can provide provisions that [...]

englischThe thesis analyses the legal ramifications of second medical use patents and a particular construct of German social law, the so-called Arzneimittelrabattvertrag. The current legal status favours patent holders over the manufacturers of generic drugs. It herby grants the former a [...]

englischThe publication offers a comprehensive analysis of the principles of remuneration for work results of university employees that are protectable under intellectual property law, insofar as they can be assigned to patent law, copyright law or design law.

University employees create a [...]

englischThe German patent system faces increasing criticism. Given the constantly rising number of patents, it is criticised that the validity of the patent is unresolved for too long. Moreover, patents are increasingly traded like conventional economic goods and used as loan securities. They are a [...]

englischA trademark is more than just an indication of commercial origin: Enriched with a certain brand image, trademarks have developed into an effective advertising medium. But does this mean that every case which affects a trademark in this respect should be subject to trademark law?

This thesis [...]

englischThe work deals with the challenges of image and privacy protection in the age of digitalization. The "Web 2.0", the increasing commercialization of nude and intimate photos or one's own digital handling of the private sphere pose enormous challenges to the current legal protection in place. [...]

englischThe supplementary protection certificate is intended to provide incentives for cost-intensive research into new medicinal products. The work examines whether the conception and design of the intellectual property right meet these requirements by drawing on findings from the economic analysis [...]

englischThe work compares the interpretation of the patentability requirements according to the German PatG [German Patents Act], the EPC and the Indian Patents Act. It analyses the TRIPS compliance of Section 3(d) Patents Act and reveals the reasons for choosing a specific regulatory context in [...]

englischParticipation in trademark and patent rights is of fundamental importance for a company’s economic success. Its contractual design must take into account the interests of the parties involved without losing sight of legal risks. This monograph examines the contractual alternatives when it [...]

englischBack in the early days of the Bundesliga (from 1956 to 1966), the overall annual income from TV broadcasting of Germany’s football league was the equivalent of 333,333 euros, whereas about 1.4 billion euros are currently generated each season through its audio-visual exploitation. Despite [...]

englischSocial networks are an example of technological development, which not only determines the social and customer behaviour of consumers, but also sets new challenges for the law. Every day, millions of copyright-relevant items are being uploaded to social networks, where the platform operators [...]

englischPersonalised medicine promises individual and optimised treatment for each patient. Researchers identify markers correlating with a certain reaction to an active ingredient. However, such research results are easy to copy and research-driven companies are calling for effective IP protection.

englischIn an original theoretical approach, this dissertation, entitled ‘The Protection of Motifs under Trademark Law’ discusses the set of problems relating to intangible property rights in trademark protection of the motifs of brand names. A trademark motif is legally significant as an aspect of [...]

englischCreative industries have a continually high demand for external capital but usually lack tangible assets that could serve as collateral. Instead, such companies might consider securing loans with intellectual property. If copyright is chosen to serve as security, this undertaking conflicts [...]

englischThis work deals with the substantive and procedural requirements for the calculation of damages in cases of infringement of intellectual property rights. Based on calculation methods which have been recognised in German jurisprudence for more than 100 years and are now codified, it analyses [...]

englischThe popularity of comparative advertising is steadily increasing in Germany. However, it is still unresolved as to what exactly is to be understood by comparative advertising. Does comparative advertising require a comparison or not? Neither the European legislators nor the European Court of [...]

englischMore than ever, product piracy poses enormous economic challenges for all branches of industry. The establishment of the practice of border seizure by customs authorities provides rights holders with an effective legal instrument in this context. At the same time, border seizure carries the [...]

englischCopyrights vs. freedom of the arts: What does our copyright law allow?

In this study, Florian Pötzlberger discusses the options available for privileging creative (musical) art forms like remixes, which are inherently characterised by the use of protected material. He explains the central [...]

englischIn recent years, an increasing tendency of right holders to bring legal action against host providers for the infringements of intellectual property rights committed by users can be observed. This tendency is reflected in a steadily growing number of court decisions on a European as well as [...]

englischFreedom of information and the digital economy: This thesis is the first to examine the commercial use of publicly available information and data on the internet from the perspective of freedom of information through the example of screen scraping.

Firstly, the author discusses the ties [...]

englischInternational Commercial Arbitration is on the rise. Its advantages, such as world-wide enforceability, quick proceedings, cost-effectiveness, specialised arbitrators and confidentiality seem especially desirable when it comes to complex patent proceedings. At the same time, the exact scope [...]

englisch"Störerhaftung" (interference liability) is a legal concept German courts use to impose liability on host providers and other internet intermediaries. Its field of application extends from infringements of intellectual property rights to violations of personal rights. According to the theory [...]

englischiPad, iPod, iPhone - series of trademarks like these play a significant role in economic life. Their purpose is to characterise different products in such a way that they are recognised as goods from the same business, so their legal protection is important for both businesses and consumers. [...]

englischThis book addresses the duty of supplying information on charity-linked promotions due to the implementation of Directive 2005/29/EC. These are promotions for convenience goods run by third parties who claim that purchasing them will benefit a charity or cause. This book focuses on [...]

englischSince the laws on intellectual property rights contain very few provisions regarding legal transactions with intangible goods, general principles and standards of the BGB [German Civil Code] are frequently invoked to resolve practical and doctrinal issues, for example by classifying the [...]

englischThis thesis examines advertisement directed at children in the time of the internet, social media, online videos and mobile games from every angle imaginable. The first third includes a part on behavioural science as well as technical and economical insights into the field of online [...]

englischThe discussion on the legal admissibility of ad-blocking software is currently one of the most controversial issues in intellectual property as well as competition law and has been interpreted differently in the domain of jurisprudence and the relevant literature. This issue is of great [...]

englischIntellectual property in crime – is there such thing? Is it permissible for a criminal to commercialize the story of his crime? In order to resolve the resulting conflict with interests of privacy of the victim, the author develops a practice-oriented auditing concept for legal treatment. [...]

englischIn case of an IP right infringement, the right holder can claim the infringer’s profit as damages only as far as the profit is resulting from the infringement. For other contributory factors a deduction must be made.

But what circumstances justify such deduction? Deviations in the [...]

Durch eine Vielzahl höchstrichterlicher Entscheidungen in den letzten Jahren hat die Bestimmung und Abgrenzung des Streitgegenstandes im gewerblichen Rechtsschutz enorm an Aktualität und Bedeutung gewonnen, nicht zuletzt wegen der hohen praktischen Relevanz dieser Thematik sowie der zentralen [...]

englisch§ 58 Abs. 1 UrhG (German Act on Copyright) is a statutory exception from German Copyright Law that deals with the entitlement of museums, auction houses, and galleries to copy an artistic work in order to advertise its exhibition or its sale without license and royalty-free. However, the [...]

englischAt the end of 2012/beginning of 2013 25 member states of the European Union launched the so called European patent package that is set to create a European Patent with Unitary Effect and a corresponding Unitary Patent Court for the participating member states. The package that took a huge [...]

Der Erschöpfungsgrundsatz hat eine zentrale Funktion, um immaterialgüterrechtlich geschützte Waren verkehrsfähig zu machen. Die fehlende Fixierung im deutschen Patentgesetz und die vergleichsweise geringe Europäisierung des Patentrechts tragen jedoch dazu bei, dass die patentrechtliche Erschöpfung [...]

englischThe European legislator addressed the erosion of pharmaceutical patent protection resulting from complex clinical trials and approval procedures by creating the supplementary protection certificate by Regulation (EC) No. 469/2009. Except for plant protection products, however, no other [...]

englischClarifying the question of whether an object constitutes a means of indirect infringement of the patent regularly raises considerable difficulties. The reason for this is not only the abundance of different objects that can indirectly promote patent infringement. In addition, indirect patent [...]

englischTo what extent can and should the use of unfair contract terms by a trader be subject to sanctions under the Act against Unfair Competition? This question is of considerable practical importance since not only consumer protection bodies but also competitors are entitled to take actions under [...]

englischIn contrast to the Spanish Copyright Law and the relevant case-law of French courts relating to copyright infringements, the term ‘likelihood of confusion’ is not used in German Copyright Law but in Trade Mark Law and the Law Against Unfair Competition. Therefore, the question may be raised [...]

englischIntellectual Property Rights are currently facing massive challenges, for example determining the scope and limits of property rights, and setting standards for the accumulation of the aforesaid property rights. Furthermore, the current system of regulations is under severe pressure to [...]

englischThe author addresses the seeming conflict between territorial exploitation of copyright and the European Single Market. The study opens with a presentation of the distinctive characteristics of the movie market followed by a comprehensive analysis of the legal requirements for territorial [...]

englischSince the ratification of the German Civil Code (BGB), the legal institution usufruct has never been seriously considered for the transfer of rights of use of intellectual property. Instead, in practice, ‘exclusive’ and ‘non-exclusive’ licences are granted. This practice developed because [...]

englischHow to improve the legal framework in Germany´s public R&D funding? Are invent-related regulation useful at all?

Based on a comparative legal analysis between Germany and the USA, the author recommends to redesign the currently used invention-related regulations in public R&D funding in [...]

englischThe author examines whether the right to publish Open Access may develop to a duty. The focus is on the professor’s rights and duties of the research results and copyright works that arise during the professor's work in research and teaching. The author concludes that the freedom of sciences [...]

englischPerfume litigations typically involve only trademark or packaging protection. The actual perfume hardly enjoys any legal attention although it is very often copied.

The term „perfume“ is ambiguous and designates the olfactory source as well as the olfactory form of the fragrance. Different [...]

englisch„Imitation ist he sincerest form of flattery“ – many celebrities who are imitated by „Celebrity Impersonators“ disagree and want to take legal action against their imitators. The present work compares the different legal possibilities for protection against such imitation unter German and [...]

englischThe absence of effective civil law sanctions is still one of the key weak points regarding the protection of personality rights in Germany. Against this background, the author analyses to what extend claims based on unjust enrichment or compensation in form of license analogy might help [...]

englischIn various significant decisions the ECJ has revitalized the trademark functions doctrine. The meaning and scope of a trademark had to be reassessed in the light of these decisions.

The author tackles the question of how the renewed trademark functions effect the trademark law and if this [...]

Gehört die fotografische Verwertung einer Sache dem Eigentümer?Ein ausschließliches Vervielfältigungsrecht als solches kennt das Sachenrecht nicht. Die urheberrechtlichen Verwertungsrechte sind zeitlich begrenzt und stehen zudem nicht dem Eigentümer, sondern dem Urheber zu. Dennoch werden [...]

englischFictional trademarks are means of identification that solely exist in fictional worlds, such as in films, and therefore are disconnected from real-world market activities. If fictional worlds and/or their fictional trademarks prove to be popular with the consuming public, though, one can [...]

englischDue to the judgment “Rücktritt des FInanzministers” of the German Federal Supreme Court, sociopolitical statements that are published in commercial advertisements, throw a new light on the conflict between the commercial personal rights and the freedom of speech. So far the jurisdiction has [...]

englischIn the legal systems of the United Kingdom, passing off provides a common law cause of action against the imitation and appropriation of a business’s reputation by a third party. As an integral part of British unfair competition law it enjoys continued high practical relevance, [...]

englischCollective rights management has to embrace its original raisons d’être if collecting societies shall be entitled to raise the argument of their special legitimacy during judicial process and reform. The work sketches in its first part those characteristics of collecting societies which [...]

Ein Künstler greift für sein Werk auf eigene Erlebnisse zurück und orientiert sich dadurch naturgemäß an seinen Mitmenschen. Die Autorin untersucht vor dem Hintergrund der verfassungsrechtlichen Grundlagen den zivilrechtlichen Konflikt zwischen den Persönlichkeitsinteressen des Betroffenen und den [...]

englischSales promotion activities are also for pharmacies important marketing tools - in particular, for mail-order pharmacies due to its lack of local presence. Pharmaceuticals do have a potential risk of abuse and to health. Therefore, especially sales promotion activities are strictly regulated [...]

Patentpools haben in einigen Sparten der Elektronikindustrie grundlegende Signifikanz, da sie Technologietransfer im Einzelnen überhaupt erst ermöglichen und zudem effizient gestalten. Durch die Bündelung und paketierte Lizenzierung von Patenten, die auf viele Inhaber verstreut und für eine [...]

Die Arbeit setzt sich mit dem Zusammenspiel von Urheberrecht und dem Recht der Gesellschaft Bürgerlichen Rechts (GbR) am Beispiel der Miturhebergemeinschaft auseinander. Dabei geht es nicht nur um die Frage der analogen Anwendbarkeit dieser Vorschriften, sondern auch um die gesonderte Untersuchung [...]

Patente für Arzneimittel sollen den Arzneimittelherstellern im stark umkämpften Arzneimittelmarkt die Amortisierung ihrer stetig steigenden Forschungsaufwendungen sichern. Gleichzeitig wird immer häufiger der Vorwurf erhoben, Arzneimittelpatente enthielten Scheininnovationen und würden zur [...]

Der Benutzung einer fremden Marke in vergleichender Werbung liegt ein Zuordnungskonflikt zwischen den Interessen des Markeninhabers, der Wettbewerber und der Verbraucher innerhalb der Reichweite des freien und unverfälschten Wettbewerbs zugrunde. Sie ist von hoher Praxisrelevanz geprägt und wirft [...]

Wann ist ein Klageantrag hinreichend bestimmt, wie hoch ist der Streitwert bei Einführung mehrerer Marken in einem Verfahren und begründet jedes Schutzrecht einen eigenen Streitgegenstand? Die Probleme aus praktischer Sicht, die sich im Laufe der Jahre durch weitreichende Rechtsprechungsänderungen [...]

Bereits vor der UWG-Reform im Jahr 2004 war die Frage, ob die Verletzung von Datenschutzvorschriften im Wettbewerb zugleich einen Wettbewerbsverstoß begründet, in Rechtsprechung und Literatur umstritten. Hieran hat auch die im Rahmen der Reform umgesetzte Neukonzeption des Rechtsbruchtatbestandes in [...]

Die Crux bei der Erstveröffentlichung persönlicher Aufzeichnungen sind die mannigfaltigen Interessen, die sie prägen. Diese sind vor allem persönlicher, aber auch wissenschaftlich-historischer und öffentlicher Natur. Sie bewegen sich auf einem schmalen Grat zwischen zwei unterschiedlichen [...]

Demoskopische Gutachten zu rechtsrelevanten Tatbeständen sind in Deutschland seit Jahrzehnten als Beweismittel in gerichtlichen Verfahren etabliert. Insbesondere im Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht wird auf Meinungsumfragen zurückgegriffen, wenn es auf die Verkehrsauffassung als Beurteilungs- und [...]

In einer umfassenden Perspektive wird die verfahrensrechtliche Struktur der Nichtigkeit von Immaterialgüterrechten aufgezeigt. Die verschiedenen Nichtigkeitsverfahren europäischer und deutscher Schutzrechte weisen Parallelen, aber auch erhebliche Unterschiede auf. Die Analyse und Systematisierung [...]

Beim Computerprogrammschutz kommt es zu einer Überlagerung der Regelungsbereiche des Urheber- und Patentrechts. In der rechtswissenschaftlichen Diskussion fehlte es bislang an einer systematischen Untersuchung dieser Schutzrechtskumulation. Diese Studie schließt diese Lücke und setzt die vor Jahren [...]

Der Autor unterbreitet zahlreiche Vorschläge, wie auf der Basis des geltenden Rechts u.a. der Unterlassungsanspruch gestärkt und der Schadensersatz erleichtert werden kann. Dabei wird deutlich, dass die Regelungen zum Unterlassungsanspruch wichtige Auswirkungen auf die Kompensation haben.

englischAlike copyright protection, the copyright term equally extends to all protected subject matter “one size fits all”. The author depicts the historical development and scrutinizes the traditional rationale of the copyright term de lege lata. In response to flaws of the status quo the author [...]

Die Verweigerung einer Lizenz gehört zu den grundlegenden Rechten des Patentinhabers. Gleichzeitig kann sie im Einzelfall dazu geeignet sein, Märkte vollständig abzuschotten und deren Weiterentwicklung um Jahre zu verzögern. In diesem Spannungsfeld könnte die patentrechtliche Zwangslizenz eine [...]

Die Arbeit untersucht umfassend die Notwendigkeit und die Legitimität des Leistungsschutzrechts für Presseverleger. Im sensiblen Bereich der öffentlichen Informationsvermittlung bedarf die Schaffung eines Ausschließlichkeitsrechts wegen der damit einhergehenden Verkürzung der Informationsfreiheit [...]

Die Beantwortung der Frage, mit welchen Kriterien im Wettbewerbsrecht die Unlauterkeit einer geschäftlichen Handlung zu bestimmen ist, bereitet seit jeher Schwierigkeiten. Nachdem zumindest bei Verstößen gegen Rechtsnormen lange Zeit danach gefragt wurde, ob ein ungerechtfertigter Vorsprung im [...]

Im Mittelpunkt des Werkes steht die Fragestellung, inwiefern die Regelung der freien Benutzung des § 24 UrhG auf diejenigen verwandten Schutzrechte im UrhG analog anwendbar ist, die keinen gesetzlichen Verweis auf § 24 UrhG enthalten. Diese Thematik greift die Rechtsprechung des BGH auf, der in der [...]

Die Arbeit widmet sich dem Spannungsverhältnis von Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht unter besonderer Berücksichtigung dreidimensionaler Produktgestaltungen im Rahmen einer rechtsvergleichenden Studie in Deutschland und England. Die Entwicklung nach Inkrafttreten der jeweiligen neuen Markengesetze wird [...]

englischThe enforcement of intellectual property rights has been one of the most important and controversial issues for almost a decade now. This volume presents the conference contributions at a bilateral conference organized by the Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Media Law [...]

Für den rechtsicheren, internationalen Lizenzerwerb von urheberrechtlichen Nutzungsrechten und deren Verfügbarkeit ist die Tätigkeit von Verwertungsgesellschaften bislang unabdingbar. Dabei sind die Gegenseitigkeitsverträge zwischen den Verwertungsgesellschaften zur gebietsübergreifenden [...]

Der Band untersucht die Stimmigkeit und Angemessenheit des urheberrechtlichen Schutzes von Musikwerken. Dabei werden Melodie, Rhythmus und Klangfarbe (Sound) herausgegriffen und auf ihre Schutzfähigkeit untersucht: Inwieweit genießen die einzelnen Elemente für sich genommen bereits [...]

Der Wandel von einer Industrie- zu einer Wissensgesellschaft ist durch die neuen Medien erheblich beschleunigt worden. Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung von wissensbasiertem Kapital nimmt stetig zu; Unternehmen sind mehr denn je auf Informationen und Spezialkenntnisse angewiesen. Dem Schutz dieses [...]

Die Bedeutung virtueller Welten hat in den vergangenen Jahren stetig zugenommen. Die darin erzeugten virtuellen Güter spielen nicht nur in Online-Computerspielen, sondern etwa auch bei der Produktentwicklung als virtuelle Werkzeuge und Bauteile oder zu Ausbildungszwecken eine beachtliche Rolle. [...]