Search results for

Politicians have shown a welcome appetite for upgrading trade mark and copyright legislation. Changes may be required to reach international standards, but they also have a critical impact on a country’s prosperity, writes Ralph Cunningham

While counterfeiting is still a scourge of international business, many governments have made progress in improving protection in the past year. James Nurton, Ingrid Hering and Ralph Cunningham reveal the leading firms in trade mark/copyright work in 30 markets across the world

The Tokyo High Court has upheld the Japanese Patent Office ban on obtaining trade marks for retail services. The internationalization of the country’s trade mark system could persuade the authorities to change their stance, say Shusaku Yamamoto and John Tessensohn

A recent judgment in the US found that unlicensed linking and framing constitutes copyright infringement. All website operators should take note, explains Lawrence R Robins

The German Act Relating to Inventions of Employees (the Act) provides that an employer may, within a period of four months, claim an invention made by an employee which either results from the employee's work under the employment contract or is essentially based on the know-how of the employer. For such a claimed invention, a patent application must be filed. In return, the employee is entitled to compensation when the invention is used by the employer. Unfortunately, the administrative provisions of the Act cause considerable paper work. Large companies estimate that the costs for handling employment inventions in compliance with the provisions of the Act are in the same range as the compensation to be paid to the employed inventors for the use of these inventions.

? China: Sohu.com has responded to a copyright infringement suit from Sina.com, its mainland rival, by counter-suing for copyright infringement and unfair competition. The cases concern the use of cellphone screen designs.

Trade mark systems in Africa and the Middle East are at various stages of development. The difficulties with registering and enforcing rights should not put off those interested in doing so, reports Ralph Cunningham

Venezuela’s Congress is debating fundamental IP reforms. But, warns Gabriela Nuñez, there are a lot of obstacles which must be overcome before protection can improve

Thanks to a new directive, artists across Europe will receive royalties on future sales of their works – many for the first time. George Moore and Matthew Warren explain how the royalty structure will work

In a recent pronouncement, the Council of State in Colombia has ruled that the domain .co is the property of the state, not of its administrator the Universidad de los Andes.