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Following some major changes in IP in Latin America, correspondents from member firms of the Affinitas alliance review recent important developments in the key markets of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru

The Italian Council of Ministers has recently approved the bill ratifying the deed of revision of the European Patent Convention 2000 (EPC 2000). The bill is now being examined by the Italian Parliament and its approval is expected by the date that the Convention comes into force.

The US has introduced new rules for the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. This is what they mean in practice

In August, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of China (SAIC) announced it was launching a nationwide action to combat free-riding of goodwill. Such free-riding refers to unauthorized use of another's reputable trade name/mark as one's trade name, and using such name on goods/services, thereby confusing the public. Local AICs are required to study this problem thoroughly and proactively initiate administrative actions to stop such infringing acts, including selecting serious and typical cases for focused attention. The SAIC will perform random checks on such actions, and participate where appropriate.

Adolfo Athié and Eduardo Kleinberg of Basham Ringe & Correa explain the concept of exhaustion, and examines how it applies to patent, trade mark and copyright assets in Mexico

More films could be deemed to be still under copyright following two rulings from Tokyo's District Court

Peter Ollier, Hong Kong

Pfizer has won a key victory in the Chinese courts over the patent for sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in its impotence drug

The 2007 edition of the Americas IP Focus is published amid important changes in IP practice. Nowhere is this more true than in the Americas. In the US, Congress is debating fundamental changes to patent law, arising from concerns over the scope of protection and abuse of the vagaries of the patent system, while the Supreme Court has, in the past year, delivered four decisions of fundamental importance to IP owners. Meanwhile, new means of monetizing patents are being tested and the USPTO has introduced controversial reforms to address its backlog and delays in both the patent and trade mark fields.

Law firms and patent and trade mark agencies are reporting record levels of demand from IP clients. Managing IP published a list of the largest practices across the globe in its September 2007 issue. The tables for the US and Canada are reprinted here