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The recent decision in Kimberley-Clark v Proctor & Gamble (Court of Appeal, November 24 1999) clarifies that the UK Court retains discretion to refuse patent amendment applications.

In Poland, utility models are distinguished as separate subjects of industrial property from inventions. Pursuant to the statutory definition, utility models are new and useful solutions of a technical character concerning the shape, structure or configuration of an object having a solid form. A utility model, like an invention, is considered new if it is not a part of the state of art, which means it has not been made available to the public before the date determining the priority to exclusive right (protection). However, unlike patentable inventions a utility model does not have to meet the grounds of non-obviousness (invention level). Therefore protection can be granted to a utility model despite the fact that for a qualified person it is obvious that the model originates from prior art.

The Finnish Supreme Administrative Court has issued a decision in a case where the applicant for a patent had in 1997, by virtue of Article 27 and Article 70 (7) of the TRIPs Agreement, amended the claims of an international patent application filed in 1993 to cover product protection for pharmaceuticals.

Filing @ USPTO

UK & Netherlands: European law firm Eversheds and leading Netherlands practice Boekel De Nerée merged on January 1 2000. The new firm combines Boekel De Nerée's 250 staff and Eversheds' 3,300 staff.

Chipie wins global victory

EPO gives green light to Novartis

The variety patent is granted according to the Romanian law if the following criteria are met by the new plant variety: novelty, distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability.

As the sale of so-called "similar" drugs (SDs) increases in Mexico, the Mexican PTO seems to be as confused as Mexican consumers, and has not taken any measures to stop acts of unfair competition which affect the prestige of the pharmaceutical industry´ s trade marks and products.

Estonia has revised many of its IP laws in recent years