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The entire revocation of a European patent is very rare, and can take up to seven years. Jürgen Kaiser looks at the advantages of another option - filing observations while the patent is still in the examination phase

As president of the German Federal Patent Court, Dr Hans-Georg Landfermann oversees decisions affecting the validity of all patents registered in Germany. Ben Moshinsky spoke to him about the role of the court and the future of European litigation

The Russian legislators, when drafting the Patent Law, always sought to make the law as inventor-friendly as possible and to provide the widest possible scope of subject matter that could be protected. Much has been taken from the experience of other countries. Perhaps they went too far.

A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam - who received the world's first recorded patent in 1449

Recent decisions in the UK and Australia have shown diverging views of what novelty requires. Justin Watts and Peter Chalk ask whether some of the tests applied by the courts to check whether prior art is novelty-destroying are going a step too far

IP management software systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Web-enabled technology means that systems can be easily deployed across a business and more specifically, because the software is more flexible, the IP department is able to utilize it for more complex business strategy and financial accounting purposes. These developments are invaluable when many IP departments are experiencing increased pressure to accurately track costs, manage and reduce their costs and generate accurate budgets and forecasts.

Product piracy now threatens nearly every industry. Susanne Koch and Richard Dissmann of Bird & Bird examine the different means of dealing with the problem in Germany

On February 3 2006 Law number 344/2005 regarding certain measures aimed at ensuring the observance of IP rights upon Customs clearance entered into force in Romania.

In a recent Australian case, the courts refused a patent for a business method because the invention did not benefit society as a whole. James Walsh and Robert Cooper examine business method patents and consider whether the greater good is a valid reason for refusal

Licensing arrangements provide the ability for a trade mark owner to generate revenue and capitalize on the reputation of their brands. The relationship between a licensor and licensee is, in many ways, an interdependent one. Therefore, trade mark owners carefully select licensing partners based on their reputation for quality and business acumen to ensure that the integrity of the licensor's valuable proprietary rights will be protected. Given the importance of this unique business relationship, licensors typically include language in their licensing agreements that requires the licensor's consent prior to any assignment by a licensee of the licensed rights and obligations.