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The business of selling counterfeit goods in Europe - a business that is worth €1 billion a year, according to the European Commission - is booming. Last year's enlargement turned the EU into one of the world's largest single markets, making it more important than ever for rights owners to police the external borders and stop pirated goods entering the Community.

Following last year's enlargement, Europe’s border has shifted eastwards and now stretches from Estonia in the north to Slovenia in the south. In the war against IP piracy, this boundary will be a vital battleground

Trade in counterfeit goods is a grim global phenomenon. Complex, fast moving and sophisticated, it demands an increasing awareness worldwide. This awareness is changing the IP landscape in Canada.

An IP policy is an essential component in protecting your intangible assets - yet many companies say they do not have one. In-house counsel tell MIP why IP policies are needed and how to draw them up. By Stephanie Bodoni

Taiwan's 2004 achievements in IP TIPO completed revision of Examination Guidelines for Patents, Examination Guidelines for Three-dimensional, Sound and Colour [trade marks] and Examination Guidelines for Likelihood of Confusion - all published for patent and trade mark examiners in the hope of improving examination quality. The Copyright Act was amended in September, broadening copyright protection to the digital world. The Integrated Enforcement Task Force was reorganized and renamed the IPR Police on November 1. On November 23, the IPR Police raided a warehouse, seizing more than 10,000 counterfeit clothes items with a value of $937,500. The director-general of Customs held three nationwide workshops from October to December, educating more than 100 customs officials on IP inspection skills. On June 8, at the Judicial Yuan's Senior Officers meeting it was decided that a dedicated IP court would be created in Taipei's Shilin District. Plans detailing the court's establishment are being formulated. One of Taiwan's most senior IP figures has set out a far-reaching plan to strengthen the country's rights framework, and offer owners greater protection and enforcement measures.

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has introduced a national management and auditing tool named Strategies for Creation, Ownership, Protection and Exploitation of Intellectual Property, or SCOPE-IP. In our technology driven world, IP plays a critical role and successful companies recognize the importance of performing due diligence so they can aggressively exploit their IP rights.

Patent terms of advanced technologies in Korea have gradually become shorter as patent examination procedures get longer. To resolve this deficiency in the Korean patent system, officials have revealed a new strategy to reduce the patent examination period from 22 months to 10 months.

The recently promulgated Indian Patent Ordinance indirectly recognizes "new uses" as patentable in India. Thus far, new use of a known substance was unpatentable. Section 3 of the Indian Patents Act 1970 excluded "new use" from the scope of patentable inventions. The recent amendment enables pharmaceutical companies to protect new uses of patented drug molecules, which is a move welcomed by the global pharmaceutical companies.

The revised version of the Implementing Regulations on Customs Administrative Punishment, which took effect on November 1 2004, once again gave Customs the power to fine exporters and importers for infringing IP rights. The maximum fine that Customs can levy is 30% of the value of the infringing goods. In serious cases, the traders face criminal penalties. The new amendment has no retrospective effect.

Franchising is booming in China as foreign investment increases. Mark Abell and Tina (Yanfei) Ran examine whether the new Franchise Regulation will give it still more impetus, and provide an overview of other relevant legislation