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A meeting of the world’s five biggest patent offices in China last month saw little progress on work sharing. Peter Ollier outlines the barriers to greater cooperation and explains why the issue is so important to IP owners

Managing IP presents its guide to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement

USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks Lynne Beresford spoke with Eileen McDermott about the Office’s plans for improvement

The Taiwan Trade Mark Act stipulates that any mark identical with or similar to a mark registered or filed earlier by another shall be unregistrable. In assessing whether a junior mark is similar to a senior mark, the two marks are generally viewed in their entireties. However, in a recent opposition case, questions have arisen as to whether a junior mark incorporating several discrete components respectively similar to a series of senior marks will be deemed a similar mark and whether the form under which a senior mark is used in commerce will be considered in the assessment of likelihood of confusion.

In the Singapore patent system, there are a number of search and examination options available to proceed to grant. One option is to request examination based on a search report of a corresponding application. Alternatively, applicants may rely on the final results of a search and examination as to substance of a corresponding application. The concept of a corresponding application is therefore important in pursuing these search and examination options.

The Mexican Trademark Office (IMPI) usually applies strict criteria concerning trade mark likelihood of confusion and distinctiveness. In order to determine marks' confusing similarity, examiners base their exam on an "analysis of the similarities", determining this from the existence of a common element and disregarding the marks' overall impression.

Kraft Foods Polska Spólka Akcyjna from Warsaw, the owner of the Prince Polo trade mark (R-148617) gave a reasoned notice of opposition to a final decision of the Patent Office on the grant of a a right of protection to the Marco Polo trade mark (R-174796) that was applied for by Zaklady Przemyslu Cukierniczego Mieszko SA for goods in class 30, mainly for pastry and confectionery.

In a much-waited development, Israel is to accede to the Madrid Protocol on September 1 2010. This will make it easier and cheaper for foreign entities to register marks in Israel.

Binny Kalra and Saif Khan of Anand and Anand look at the impact of counterfeiting from an Indian perspective

Copyright owners have used a range of tactics from litigation to DRMs to tackle online piracy. Marilena Garis of Metroconsult assesses some winning strategies