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Success in the global market can be a difficult goal to reach for small- and medium-sized companies in Europe, with many of them struggling to find the needed financial resources and EU funding to build on. So instead of going it alone, why not try out pooling resources with like-minded businesses? Ruth Taplin explains

Canada's highest court is considering two cases centring on the issue of famous marks. The outcomes of both, say Abraham Drassinower and Signe Silver, will hinge on the scope of protection such marks enjoy

In the international discussions on the future of an international GI system, Italian food and wine producers are at the forefront of lobbying in favour of extended GI protection - none more so than the producers of two of Italy's best-known products, Parma ham and Parmesan cheese. Stéphanie Bodoni spoke to Federico de Simoni of Prosciutto di Parma, and Giorgio Bocedi, for Parmigiano Reggiano

Ben Moshinsky, London

Kuwait has for the past two years featured on the priority watch list of the USTR's Special 301 list, as one of several countries failing to protect IP owners' rights. But this is all about to change, says Abdullah Khalid Al-Ayoub of Abdullah Kh. Al-Ayoub & Associates

IP owners can expect quicker and cheaper protection of their rights in Italy following the introduction of a revised IP law earlier this year. Trade mark owners in particular will be pleased to hear that the law now is on their side for the enforcement of their rights against cybersquatters. Francesco Terrano and Donatella Prandin of Bugnion explain

Canada's highest court has issued a ruling that limits the protection provided by the country's trade mark law.

Registrations of the new .eu domain names started on December 7 2005. To protect the interests of brand owners and companies there is a sunrise period in which they will be allowed to apply for .eu domain names corresponding to their trade marks and company names. The general public will have to wait until 7 April 2006 before they can make applications. It is hoped that this head start will help to prevent a flood of abusive registrations by cybersquatters, but brand owners and companies must act quickly to take full advantage of it.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) recently announced it will provide a new system called the Korean Patent Information Online Network (K-PION) from November 2005. As such, foreign patent offices can now access English translations of Korean patent documents through K-PION.

The Full Court of the Australian Federal Court recently took an expansive view of the bounds of obviousness in a lengthy decision on the Viagra patent litigation between Pfizer and Eli Lilly (Pfizer Overseas Pharmaceuticals v Eli Lilly and Company [2005] FCAFC 224).