Dr. Alexander Thamer and Dr. Julian Wernicke on moral rights in election campaign events

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“No concert of wishes in election campaigns: moral rights in a political context” – essay by Dr. Alexander Thamer and Dr. Julian Wernicke in issue 4/2025 of ZUM

In the 04/2025 issue of the “Zeitschrift für Urheber- und Medienrecht” (Journal of Copyright and Media Law), ZUM for short, the BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT attorneys at law Dr. Alexander Thamer and Dr. Julian Wernicke deal with the use of popular music in political election campaigns – a tool that is often used due to its emotionalizing effect.
Most recently, for example, the Junge Union played “Zeit, dass sich was dreht” by Herbert Grönemeyer at the arrival of CDU chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, which was reported on by LTO and others.

In recent years, musicians have increasingly invoked moral rights in order to enforce a court ban against certain uses in the political arena. Of particular interest here is the tension between this moral right and existing rights of use granted via collecting societies. The article classifies the case law to date and shows the limits of party-political music use.

Subscribers to beck online can access the article in German by Dr. Alexander Thamer and Dr. Julian Wernicke online here.

Sign with inscription "European Patent Office" in German, English and French in front of the EPO-building in Munich, Germany

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT among the top 10 leading law firms for EPO patent applications in Europe

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In terms of the number of EPO patent applications, BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT is one of the four leading law firms in Germany and ranks eighth in Europe. German and British law firms hold a dominant position in Europe.

According to IP pilot’s latest report on the number of patent applications filed by major European law firms at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period 2022 to 2024, BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT ranks eighth and is therefore one of the top 10 law firms in Europe.

According to IP pilot’s research, law firms from Germany (46 percent) and the United Kingdom (44 percent) dominate the ranking of the most important representatives for EPO patent applications. In addition to BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT, Hoffmann Eitle, Grünecker and Vossius & Partner are among the leading law firms in Germany. According to IP pilot, these firms maintain their strong position in European patent applications, which reflects their expertise and deep-rooted presence in the market.

The dominance of German and British law firms, IP pilot concludes, will continue and underlines the central role of these firms in the European patent system. They will continue to be at the forefront, providing important services to companies and innovators seeking to protect their intellectual property in Europe.

The full report is available here on the IP pilot website.