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Turkey issued its patent law first in 1879, making it one of the earliest countries to do so, but unfortunately no further steps were taken until 1994, when the Turkish Patent Institute was founded. The Turkish Patent Decree Law, comparable to modern provisions, was published in 1995 and was followed by related regulations and several amendments.

Last year the Swedish Customs Service made more interventions against counterfeits than ever before. More than 280,000 items with a market value of some SEK127 million ($17.5 million) were seized. This is good news for trade mark owners and owners of other forms of IP. However, it must be assumed that only a tiny fraction of counterfeit goods are being detected and there is much to suggest that the importation of counterfeit goods will continue to increase and reach new, record-high levels. So the Swedish authorities are now devoting ever-increasing resources to hunting down counterfeiters.

In the case of Shangri-La International Hotel Management et al (SLIHM), v Developers Group of Companies, Inc (DGCI) issued on March 31 2006, involving the trade marks Shangri-La and the S logo, the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of the Court of Appeals and the Regional Trial Court which found SLIHM guilty of trade mark infringement, and ruled in favour of SLIHM.

Fierce battles between branded and generic pharmaceutical companies have been played out in the English courts. Brian Whitehead, Stuart Jackson and Richard Kempner provide effective strategies for both obtaining and avoiding interim injunctions

Well established as an offshore financial centre, the island of Guernsey is now looking to attract IP owners with a series of new laws. James Nurton reports

As companies strive for growth and new sources of value creation, many are turning to their IP portfolios as an asset base for exploitation. Managed intelligently as part of the corporate strategy, IP can become a key driving force behind revenue-generating transactions, provide lucrative licensing opportunities and be securitized against investment. However, if companies are to realize value from their IP, they must first ensure that their housekeeping is in order. Underestimating the importance of IP data management can be a risky business, particularly when it comes to licensing or merger and acquisition (M&A) activity.

No one admits to being a patent troll, but everyone knows they exist. Where are they hiding and what do they do? Join James Nurton on a quest into the deepest, darkest reaches of patent law to find out

A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam - who received the world's first recorded patent in 1449

AUSTRALIA: The Attorney-General unveiled far-reaching copyright reform proposals on May 14. There will be two new exceptions for private use – allowing TV and radio programmes to be recorded and watched or listened to once only at a later time and allowing copies of copyrighted material to be made in a different format. But the government said it will also introduce a range of new measures including on-the-spot fines and the opportunity to recover profits from copyright pirates, as well as making it easier for copyright owners to prove ownership of their rights and giving more power to Customs.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal has laid down the criteria that allow a practitioner to assess whether a diagnostic method is excluded from patentability under Article 52(4) EPC. In Opinion G1/04 of December 16 2005, the Board sets a liberal standard for the patentability of diagnostic methods.