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Historically, the laws in New York State regulating the employment and education of "child performers" did not include child models. However, the New York State Senate and Assembly has recently voted to pass legislation to ensure that child models will now be afforded the same protections as "child actors, dancers and musicians" working in New York. Such legislation, once signed into law, is expected to have a significant impact on the fashion industry.

In Taiwan, a patent holder may, based on the relevant stipulations in the Code of Civil Procedure, file a pre-trial motion with the judge to obtain an evidence preservation order (EPO) against a holder of evidence.

The South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, which was signed on June 30 2007, includes an approval-patent linkage system which would have a significant impact on the Korean pharmaceutical industry. Under the approval-patent linkage system, a patent owner who has obtained product approval on a medicine may register his or her patent on the Medicine Patent List, the so-called Green List, so that his or her patent may be eligible for protection measures provided under the Agreement.

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) established a search and examination department on May 28 2013 to support the soon to be implemented positive grant patent system and to further Singapore's aspiration to be an IP hub in the region. In the current self-assessment patent system, patent applications may proceed to grant based on a mixed or negative examination report.

At last it has happened. The organisation of an IP court in Russia was discussed for a number of years. Convincing arguments were put forward in favour. However despite the fact that no opposition was put forward, the process of taking decisions and actual organisation of the court was not hurried.

On June 5, the Supreme Court gave a decision (GR 185830) affirming the decision of the Court of Appeals, holding that the right of Renaud Cointreau & Cie and Le Cordon Bleu International BV to register the mark Le Cordon Bleu & device cannot be barred by Ecole the Cuisine Manille Inc's prior use of the mark since 1948 in the Philippines, because Ecole's appropriation of the mark was made in bad faith.

The Madrid Protocol came into force in New Zealand on December 10 2012 and since then a number of New Zealand businesses have taken advantage of this new means of protecting their trade marks offshore.

Previously, the Dutch Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled that the CJEU's Bericap ruling does not preclude reimbursement of litigation costs when invalidation proceedings are initiated in anticipation of expected (and also carried out) infringement proceedings (Case 200.094.921/01, February 26 2013). The Court of Appeal did not see why it would make any difference whether invalidation proceedings are started as a defence in response to infringement proceedings or as an advanced defence against expected infringement proceedings.

The Arab pharmaceutical market is reportedly valued at more than $12 billion and is growing at more than 10% a year, with around 450 manufacturers. With the exception of Egypt, all Arab countries are high importers of branded drugs, while local manufacturing capabilities are limited to generic and licensed drugs with very little research and development. Thus, it has become more important for trade mark owners to address the challenges of pharmaceutical trade mark protection, and to become more familiar with the requirements that are specific to this region.

A draft of Mexican Official Standard NOM-257-SSA1-2013 that will affect the way the procedures for obtaining marketing authorisations for medicaments are performed, as well as renewal and modifications of those authorisations, is under review.