Cover Story

• Washington's IP agenda

  President George W Bush's November reelection and the Republicans' victory in Congress have set the course for US policy over the next four years. Sam Mamudi examines what the future holds for IP owners Plus: Jon Dudas on what's in store at the USPTO

Features

• News focus: Asean scales back IP plans

  Leaders of 10 south-east Asian nations signed up to a six-year plan for cooperation on intellectual property in November. But there was no agreement on proposals to harmonize registration procedures, as Emma Barraclough reports

• Europe unveils compulsory licensing rules

  The EU has published proposals to allow compulsory licensing of pharmaceutical products for export to the developing world. Richard Taylor and Selina Taylor examine the implications of the draft Regulation

• Making the most of innovation patents

  In 2001 Australia replaced the petty patent system with a new innovation patent right. Three years on, Wayne McMaster reveals the unexpected advantages the patent offers to potential litigants

• Well-known mark protection affirmed

  A recent dispute over tee-shirts tested the limits of protection for well-known marks in South Africa. Alan Smith examines the Supreme Court's decision in favour of SABMiller and discusses its implications for parodists

• House of Lords clarifies patent rules

  In two landmark cases, the UK's House of Lords has tackled some of the fundamentals of English patent law. Alan Johnson, Alex Wilson and Ewan Nettleton review the Lords' findings and their implications for patent owners in Europe

• Lessons in liability

  The growth of counterfeiting, especially of pharmaceuticals, has raised the prospect of legitimate manufacturers becoming liable for damage caused by counterfeit products. Nick Beckett examines the lessons arising from such disputes in the US

• Singapore gets the US treatment

  Singapore's copyright law changes radically extend the rights of IP owners in the country. As Sheena Jacob reports, the measures that Singapore accepted as part of a free trade deal with the US could set a benchmark for standards in the region

• Putting Brazil on the Madrid map

  The US and the EU - two of the world's largest regions - have joined the Madrid Protocol. But a gaping hole stands out on the system's world map - Latin America. Natan Baril, legal counsel at the Boticário Group, gives Stéphanie Bodoni the view of one of the largest trade mark owners in Brazil

• Best blogs on the web

  Blogs are taking over the web, and becoming a useful source of news and gossip on IP developments. James Nurton tracks down the bloggers and profiles 10 indispensable sites

• Letter from the editor...

News Analysis

• Supreme Court backs fair use defence

• ECJ cuts back on database rights

  James Nurton, London

• Green light for BP in Australia

• New boutique shakes up Dutch market

  Stéphanie Bodoni, London

• End of an era for Fish & Neave

  Sam Mamudi, New York

• US patent fees set to soar

  James Nurton, London

Country Updates

• Argentina - INPI acts over patent backlog

• China (PRC) - Chinese courts crack down on infringers

• Colombia - Shape marks restricted by Andean court

• Mexico - Tips on posting bonds for injunctions

• Singapore - Singapore amends Copyright Act

• United Kingdom - ECJ rules on database right cases