In June 2011, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) authorized the launch of the new generic Top-Level Domain Program (new gTLD Program), which introduces major changes in the Domain Name System (DNS) as well as business, governmental and community challenges that will affect every internet user.

Recent technological changes raise new challenges within the European Union, particularly with regard to intellectual property rights (IPR), and mean that the existing legal framework needs to be adapted to developments in the field of digital technology.

In Interflora, the ECJ confirmed its strict interpretation of article 5 (2) of the EU Trademark Directive, according to which the sole use of trademark in keyword advertising does not per se constitute an infringement of trademark with a reputation but rather required the trademark owner to show that the purpose of this use by the competitor is likely to be considered as free riding, dilution or tarnishement.

Various amendments to the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) laws in France were adopted by the French Assemblée Nationale on September 7, 2011 and October 12, 2011.

A group of attorneys practicing in France and specialized in securities law, have created the “Securities Lawyers Association / Avocats en Droit Boursier (ADB)”. Fabrice Demarigny and Christophe Clerc, lawyers at Marccus Partners, are among the member participants.

On November 11, 2010 the European Parliament voted the Directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) which is to be enacted within two years by the Member States.

International law firm Marccus Partners SELAS has assisted US private equity firm MidMark Capital LLP on the sale of French stock corporation DynaSys SA, an enterprise software company based near Strasbourg, France, to its NASDAQ-listed competitor QAD Inc. based in Santa Barbara, California.

The deal, for an undisclosed amount, closed last week.

International business law firm Marccus Partners has advised a subsidiary of the company Cofitem-Cofimur in the sale of two office buildings in Berlin, located at Bernburger Straße 30-31 (Berlin Kreuzberg) and Taubenstraße 10 (Berlin Mitte).

The closing took place on 30 April 2012.

The international business law firm Marccus Partners has advised a subsidiary of the company Cofitem-Cofimur in the sale of an office building located in the “Mitte” district of Berlin at Alte Jakobstraße 79-80. The building, constructed in 1997, has a leasable surface area of 73 755 m² spread over seven floors. 87% of the offices in the building are currently leased to tenants working in the areas of public relations, education, auditing and software.

The closing took place on 5 April 2012.