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There exists in Russia a trade mark Jubilee (number 126030) registered for biscuits. As a person moderately advanced in age, as far as I can remember Jubilee biscuits have accompanied me and other people in Russia all our lives. The history of the biscuits in Russia certainly dates back over a century. Most probably, the product was launched in 1913 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of rule by the Romanov family (the Russian czars until the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917). Surprisingly, despite bearing such an anticommunist name, the biscuits survived through the decades and became one of the most popular brands in Russia.

Trade mark counterfeiting and product piracy are common in Peru as in all of Latin America. This criminal activity is presented in a variety of forms, but most often involves someone trying to apply for the registration of a trade mark, which is famous in another country but has not yet been registered in Peru.

The need to heighten the battle against counterfeit goods really hit home when Malaysian police discovered that they were recently cheated into paying RM5 million ($1.6 million) for imitation spare parts for police patrol cars and police vehicles.

Supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) as provided by Regulation 1768/92/EEC can extend the lifetime of a patent protecting medicines up to five years. SPCs were devised to compensate for the reduced duration of these patents caused by the lengthy procedures involved in obtaining marketing authorization before the launch of a new medicinal product.

Owing to international and national needs the Finnish Act on Utility Model Rights is under revision. The new act is expected to enter into force early in 2008.

The government of Croatia adopted a new regulation on August 8 2007 to amend Customs measures relating to goods suspected of infringing particular IP rights.

October 1 2007 heralded the coming into force of amendments to sections 39, 41(1) and 42(1) of the Trade-marks Regulations. Simultaneously, a new Opposition Board Practice Notice came into effect.

The much awaited Anti-Monopoly Law of China was promulgated on August 31 2007. It will come into effect on August 1 2008.

In a recent decision, the Austrian Supreme Court clarified certain aspects of the legitimacy of addressing warning letters to employees. In the case, an interim injunction was granted to the defendant against the claimant's "sales manager Austria". As the claimant had no place of business in Austria, but sold infringing coffee machines via its Austrian distributors, the defendant felt impelled to warn the employees of the claimant who were actively participating in the distribution of the infringing coffee machines in Austria that an accomplice or assistant is also liable for patent infringement.

Angola (AO) became the 138th PCT contracting state on September 27 2007. The PCT will enter into force for Angola on December 27 2007 and the country may be designated in PCT international applications from this date. However, the law in Angola has not yet been amended to recognize the PCT and if national phase applications are filed, it is uncertain whether or not any enforceable rights will be granted. While Angola is not a member of the Paris Union, the Angolan authorities have indicated the priority of an earlier foreign application may be claimed within 12 months of the filing of that earlier application. Until the law has been amended to provide for PCT national phase applications, it is recommended that national patent applications be filed within the 12-month priority period.