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Fame isn't all its cracked up to be. Just try to register a trade mark in Canada comprised of or incorporating the name of an individual deemed to be "famous".

Australia's Federal Court has thwarted a trade mark owner's attempts to use a shape trade mark to extend monopoly protection for a utilitarian product.

Trade mark offices and legislators in the Asia-Pacific region are moving beyond traditional trade marks, but progress is slow. Peter Ollier explains how far they have got

When the US joined the Madrid Protocol in 2003, WIPO was optimistic that it would inspire other countries in the Americas to join the system. Eileen McDermott looks at the progress so far

As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), South Africa introduced the South African Biodiversity Act in 2004 in order to comply with its international obligations. The process did not, however, end there as further legislative protection was required to assure full compliance with the CBD and the Bonn Guidelines on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use. To this end the South African Patents Act has been amended to link it to the South African Biodiversity Act.

The Community trade mark will soon mark its 12th anniversary. Since it was launched, the EU has seen many changes - and some of them pose challenges for the CTM system. James Nurton reports

South Africa is contemplating new laws to protect the country's traditional knowledge. Other countries on the continent may follow. Companies should welcome these moves, says Emma Barraclough

Austria TRADE MARK PROSECUTION Tier 1 Sonn & Partner Tier 2 Patentanwälte Puchberger, Berger & Partner Schönherr Rechtsanwälte Torggler & Hofinger Wiltschek Rechtsanwälte Tier 3 Barger, Piso & Partner Beer & Partner Patentanwalt Dr Thomas M Haffner Patentanwälte Schütz und Partner

Australia TRADE MARK PROSECUTION Tier 1 Davies Collison Cave Griffith Hack Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick Spruson & Ferguson Tier 2 F B Rice & Co Freehills Shelston IP Watermark Tier 3 Allens Arthur Robinson Blake Dawson Corrs Chambers Westgarth Tier 4 Baker & McKenzie Clayton Utz Deacons Gilbert + Tobin Mallesons Stephen Jaques Middletons Minter Ellison Pizzeys Wray & Associates Tier 5 Banki Haddock Fiora Callinans Cullen & Co Fisher Adams Kelly Halford & Co Madderns Nicholas Weston

Egypt TRADE MARK PROSECUTION Tier 1 Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) Hoda Abdel Hadi & Partners Tier 2 Youssef Hafez Law Office Hoda A Serageldin SABA