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The town of Barcelona has won its challenge to the registration of Barcelona.eu as a domain name.

Maintaining an IP portfolio can be a costly exercise, particularly where patents and trade marks are concerned. However, domain names can generate tangible financial rewards without having to cost the earth. Often the registration of a URL can prove to be one of the most valuable investments a company can make.

The Korean National Assembly recently made amendments to the Patent Act and the Utility Model Act, which came into effect on March 3 2006. The amendments make three specific changes that will immediately benefit applicants filing in Korea.

With the impending free trade agreement negotiations with the US, the Malaysian government appears to be making new moves to strengthen intellectual property rights enforcement. Specialized IP courts are proposed and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has also proposed that the copyright laws be amended to prosecute building owners with the offence of allowing their premises to be used for storing, selling or distributing counterfeit materials.

On April 18 2006 the Beijing People's High Court upheld the decision of the lower Court in holding the owner of the Silk Road Market in Beijing to be infringing the trade marks of LV, Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Burberry by providing conveniences to the stores operating there and selling counterfeit goods involving these brands.

Photos and reports from the INTA Annual Meeting held in Toronto, Canada last month.

Many high-tech companies are increasingly being hit by challenges from patent licensing companies - or patent trolls - that threaten to ruin their business. Bob Cote and Rodger Sadler provide six strategies to defend yourself

In December 2005, the South African Registrar of Trade Marks issued a practice note (Practice Note 1 of 2006), which came into effect on January 3 2006. The revised rules have a direct impact on proprietors of pending trade mark applications in South Africa.

Internet: The latest top-level domain name, .mobi, launched on May 22 with a sunrise period for rights owners in the mobile telecoms industry. This will be followed by a sunrise period for IP rights owners, starting on June 12 and lasting until August 21. The .mobi registry is Mobile Top Level Domain Ltd in Dublin, Ireland, which was set up by companies including Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung and Vodafone. Dot-mobi is the first TLD that will be tailored to mobile devices: owners of .mobi domain names have to comply with rules that make their content easily accessible on phones, personal digital assistants and other gadgets.

Technology transfer provides the scope for creativity in the organization and structure of what is usually a long-term relationship. The bottom line is always lasting profitability for the respective parties.