Introduction China has completed the most consequential rewrite of its Trademark Law in over a decade. On June 26, 2026, the 23rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Fourteenth National People's Congress adopted a comprehensive revision of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China — the fifth amendment since the law was first enacted in 1982, and the first substantive overhaul since the narrow 2019 revision. The revised law, comprising 87 articles across nine chapters (up from 73 articles in eight chapters under the outgoing law), will enter into force on January 1, 2027. Trademarks registered before that date remain valid. For brand owners, in-house counsel, and IP practitioners with China exposure, this is not a routine update. The revision touches registration standards, opposition timelines, well-known mark protection, damages calculations, and — perhaps most significantly — the treatment of bad-faith and speculative filings that have long troubled foreig...
Supreme Court Declines to Interfere with Revival of Crocs Inc. USA's Passing Off Suits Against Indian Footwear Manufacturers
Summary The Supreme Court refused to entertain petitions filed by Bata India and Liberty Shoes challenging the Delhi High Court's July 2025 judgment that restored Crocs Inc. USA's passing off suits against several Indian footwear manufacturers, holding that the trial court must independently consider the cases without being influenced by appellate observations. Background The dispute stems from Crocs Inc. USA's longstanding litigation before the Delhi High Court alleging that multiple Indian footwear companies—including Bata, Liberty, Relaxo, Action Shoes, Aqualite, and Bioworld Merchandising—copied the shape, configuration, and perforated design of its popular foam clogs. Crocs contended that these elements constitute its trade dress or shape trademark, and that the Indian manufacturers were misleading consumers and benefiting from Crocs' global reputation by producing substantially similar footwear designs. February 2019 Single Judge Order In February 2019, a single...