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? US: The Department of Commerce has agreed to extend its memorandum of understanding with ICANN for three years, and to include several specific targets to help with its privatization. The agreement was due to expire at the end of this September, but will now run until September 30 2006.

Stéphanie Bodoni, London

Brian Ager, Director General, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations

A hallmark of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) is that they are negative in nature. Although often described as "exclusive", IPRs entitle the owner only to prevent others using or misusing the subject of the right. A recent example is provided in the field of trade marks by Inter Lotto (UK) Ltd v Camelot Group plc [2003] EWCA Civ 1132.

Further to the Law of Ukraine On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Intellectual Property Protection adopted on May 22 2003, significant amendments have been introduced to the Law of Ukraine On Protection of Rights in Inventions and Utility Models (the Patent Law).

A subsidiary of San Miguel, the Philippines food, drinks and packaging company, has temporarily stopped one of its rivals producing a brand of gin which it claims infringes one of its trade marks.

Sam Mamudi, New York

The Patents Act 1983 provides for the grant of two types of proprietary rights for inventions. They are patents and Certificates for Utility Innovation (CUI). The legal requirements for patentability are as per universal requirements - novelty, an inventive step and industrial applicability subject to statutorily excluded matter. On the other hand, CUIs demand much lower standards.

Trade dress is an important, but often overlooked, way to protect your IP assets. Anessa Owen Kramer explains how to obtain protection in the US, and reviews some recent cases

To streamline the administration of the examination and grant of patents, industrial designs, trade marks and geographical indicators, the IP Department was converted into an independent corporation with autonomous powers on March 3 2003. It is known as the Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation, or PHIM (the Malay language acronym of the corporation). Additional staff have been recruited, hours to receive applications have been increased and new administrative procedures have been introduced. Time taken to examine and grant a registrable IP right is being substantially reduced. More good news is that the filing fees remain unchanged. These changes augur well for owners and users of IP rights.