Cover Story

• The art of anti-counterfeiting

  Nils V Montan, incoming president of the INTA, is a pragmatist, and believes that beating pirates requires a carrot as well as a stick. Tabitha Parker asked him about the challenges facing trade mark and copyright owners in the new millennium

Features

• Drugs war

  The pharmaceutical industry has been given another month to sharpen its arguments as it challenges the South African government over patent rights. But it is also fighting against charities, the media and public opinion. Tabitha Parker reports

• Ten commandments for success in Europe

  Conducting opposition proceedings at OHIM is full of pitfalls for the uninitiated. Tasneem Haq provides 10 rules to help trade mark owners achieve success

• Why Festo will change your patenting strategy

  In the recent Festo decision, the Federal Circuit unveiled a new approach to analyzing the doctrine of equivalents and the companion doctrine of prosecution history estoppel. In light of this new approach, Allen R Jensen and Stacy D Lewis provide some guidelines for patentees

• Spanish court proceedings overhauled

  A long-awaited and far-reaching new Civil Procedure Act came into force in Spain on January 8 2001, which will have a profound effect on all civil proceedings, including IP actions. Gonzalo Ulloa and Ralph Smith reveal the main changes

• A little morality in a digital world

  Australian copyright law has been overhauled with amendments covering moral rights and digital protection. Kristin Stammer provides a guide for copyright owners and users of copyright material

• Double jeopardy and European patents

  A recent EPO decision has challenged the conventional exclusion on double patenting. Neil Thomson asks where the decision leaves EPO practice, and what impact it will have on proceedings in the UK

• Balancing rights in Estonia’s gene pool

  Research into the human genome has opened up the possibility of collecting, publishing and even patenting individual genes. Andreas Schrell and Nils Heide explain how a new law will regulate the gene database in Estonia

• Lessons from Europe’s national trade mark courts

  The past year has seen a greater degree of maturity in the processing of trade mark disputes and predictability in foreseeing their outcome. Jeremy Phillips reviews 10 decisions from across Europe which symbolize the trend

• From the editor...

• Supreme Court returns to trade dress debate

  Kathleen E McCarthy, Morgan & Finnegan, LLP

News Analysis

• UK stance threatens European harmony

• China joins with Europe to fight counterfeiters

• BMS defeat highlights generic debate

• USTR comes down hard on Ukraine

• Madrid Protocol only months away

• ICANN to investigate MLD names

Country Updates

• Poland - Unity of a trade mark application

• Romania - Protecting plant varieties

• Russia - Protecting biotech inventions

• Singapore - Keeping employee information confidential

• United States - Renewed debate over business methods