Search results for

The president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, launched a national innovation strategy on Monday, coining the term "Filipinnovation" to describe the project

It is imperative for the plaintiff to prove that the process of manufacture adopted by the defendant or that such imitation amounts to infringement. This duty rests on the plaintiff, so as to establish the infringement suit prima facie. Undoubtedly, the question of infringement of a patent is a mixed question of law and fact. In this scenario the ruling of the Madras High Court in FDC Limited & Ors v Sanjeev Khandelwal & Ors 2007 (35) PTC 436 (Mad), that ex parte injunctions be granted only after an effective judicial scrutiny of both oral as well as documentary evidence, becomes of paramount importance.

To date, UK businesses have had to consider two parallel systems for registered design rights: the UK registered design right under the Registered Designs Act 1949 (as amended) and the Community registered design right under EC Directive 6/2002/EC (the Community Designs Regulation). However, on September 24 2007, the European Community signed the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs, creating a third layer of registered design right protection. The UK had not previously been a signatory to the Hague Agreement, and so this is the first time that the Hague Agreement will apply to the UK, the EU implementing legislation (Commission Regulation 876/2007, amending Regulation 6/2002/EC ) being directly applicable in EU member states.

A United States trade mark registration remains in full force and effect for a period of 10 years from the date of issuance. However, in order to maintain the registration, the trade mark owner must file a declaration of use between the fifth year and sixth year following the date of registration (or, with payment of a penalty, within six months thereafter). The declaration of use is a sworn statement by the trade mark owner indicating that the registered mark continues to be in use in the United States for each of the goods covered by the registration and includes a specimen showing use of the mark for the classifications. If the required declaration of use and the supporting specimens are not filed, the registration will be cancelled.

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.

Australian universities and research institutes have a great deal to offer businesses - as long as their lawyers negotiate the right kind of deal. Peter Hallett and John Golding of Watermark provide a guide