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Sex, drugs and religion are just some of the subjects that can prompt refusal of trade mark applications on the grounds that they are against public policy or morality. MIP correspondents consider what is banned in different countries, and look at recent cases where the boundaries have been tested (note: some references may cause offence)

It has been another busy year for the courts in Luxembourg. Ilanah Simon says that, while case law on registrability is now well settled, questions remain on the scope of trade mark owners' rights, and what determines how far they can extend

Jeremy Phillips reviews important trade mark cases from Europe's national courts in the last full year before the implementation of the EU Enforcement Directive - which promises to harmonize protection across the single market

As the EU expands, the number of oppositions to Community trade mark applications is on the rise. Guy Heath and Eesheta Shah argue that, to be successful, it is imperative that applicants know their enemy

JAPAN: The partners of full service firm Nishimura & Partners are in discussions with their counterparts in Asahi Koma Law Offices over merging their firms. The move follows recent legislative changes further opening up the Japanese legal market and, when completed, the deal will create the largest law firm in Japan.

INTA has been at the forefront of filing amicus curiae briefs to make courts aware of trade mark issues and arguments. Members of the Association's International Amicus Committee compare the opportunities available around the world

Eight out of ten licensors do not perform royalty examinations of their licensees, yet research suggests that in 90% of cases royalties are misreported. Melanie Butler examines what is going wrong and provides some pointers for licensors

Canada's Federal Court gave wide protection to famous marks in its recent Jaguar ruling - but has it gone too far? Mark Evans reviews the decision, and asks whether it will have any effect on two decisions awaited from the Supreme Court

AUSTRALIA: IP Australia is proposing to amend regulations dealing with the search results disclosure regime under the Patents Act 1990. The changes should simplify the fee system for providing search results and clarify some of the terms used in the regulations. AUSTRALIA: The Advisory Council on Intellectual Property, a federal government advisory body, has recommended that the law be changed so that business names can only be registered if searches of the trade mark register show there to be no conflict with registered or pending trade marks in the same field of business activity.

In today's Information Age, the amount of data available has increased substantially and so too has the ease with which it can be accessed and transferred. Businesses are operating on an international scale, sharing documentation, collaborating on projects and making global decisions with local impact every day.