patent

Germany tops Europe innovation list

Germany continues to lead Europe in innovation, filing more patents to protect new products than any other European country in 2013.

coffee

Nestlé fails to stop copycat coffee capsules

Nestlé was left steaming by a court which said on Thursday it could not stop competitors from selling coffee capsules for its Nespresso machines in Germany.

Crime

Chinese 'theft' leaves VW competing against self

Volkswagen has said it is investigating allegations reported in a German newspaper that its Chinese partner has been illegally using the German car manufacturer’s patents in its models.

patent

Patent row escalates between Samsung and Osram

South Korea's Samsung LED said on Sunday it had asked the US International Trade Commission to ban US imports of goods made by Osram due to a patent row with the German lighting firm.

Tech

Germany champs for innovation, losers in development

Regardless of what happens on the football pitch on Monday, as far as innovation is concerned, the Germans are European champions - but although they created the MP3 audio encoding format and the fax, it is often foreign groups that have profited from their development.