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Once perceived as a haven for pirates, Malaysia has responded with a positive salvo to eliminate this negative outlook. With a view to attracting and safeguarding local and foreign investment in the country, the authorities have been using various measures to eradicate this menace.

On April 1 Korea concluded historic free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the US. Korea has a $1 trillion economy and is the United States's seventh largest partner in trading goods, while the US is Korea's second largest market, importing 17% of Korean exports. In general, the FTA will eliminate tariffs and other restraints on trade in addition to strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

Irish writers and performers have welcomed a recent decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which concerned Commission proceedings against Ireland in respect of Directive 92/100/EEC of November 19 1992 on rental rights and lending rights and on certain rights related to copyright in the field of intellectual property. In Commission v Ireland, C-175-05, the ECJ held that Irish copyright legislation which exempted all categories of public lending establishments from paying royalties to authors and performers breached Ireland's obligations under the directive. Similar Commission proceedings had also been brought against Spain (which intervened on behalf of Ireland), Portugal and Belgium.

During a request for a declaration of partial nullity of a supplementary protection certificate (SPC), the Nullity Department of the Austrian Patent Office had to decide whether stating a wrong authorization to place a product on the market in the Community (EU/EEA) as a medicinal product would be a ground to declare partial nullity of an SPC insofar as the duration of the granted SPC extends beyond the date calculated by using the correct first marketing authorization.

Noel Courage of Bereskin & Parr explains how to adapt claims to Canadian style to make for a shorter trip through the Patent Office

Generic drug makers have been given more room to move in Australia's changing legal landscape. Patrick Dwyer and Jacinta Flattery-O'Brien of Shelston IP provide a tour

A new system linking the health and patent authorities makes it possible to challenge pharmaceutical marketing authorizations. Alejandro Luna and Juan Luis Serrano of Olivares & Cía share their experiences with the new system

Litigation and dispute resolution can be a costly and time-consuming business. Clients looking for reassurance from their legal advisers would often like those advisors to "put their money where their mouth is" and shoulder at least some of the financial risks of the legal action by working under a so-called no win – no fee payment arrangement. However, such arrangements are not as simple as their name suggests and those considering such arrangements would be wise to remember that "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is". For example, a losing party will generally be required by the court to meet the costs of the other side. Such costs would not be affected by a no win – no fee arrangement. Accordingly, no win would nevertheless still result in a significant financial outlay for the losing party, even if they did not have to pay their advisor' fees.

Some US courts have embraced the aesthetic functionality doctrine to the detriment of trade mark owners. But recent court decisions limiting the applicability of the doctrine should provide some comfort to trade mark owners. Tywanda Lord considers the latest legal developments

The US Supreme Court decision in MedImmune gave licensees the right to challenge a licensed patent while continuing to pay royalties. But those patent owners that are responding to the new challenge by redrafting their licences must pay close attention to EU competition rules, say Sangeeta Puran and David Fyfield