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June included an increase in Patent Trial and Appeal Board petition filing, two PTAB-related bills being introduced in Congress and the first reversal of a PGR final written decision

It is a long-standing principle of Australian patent law that determining whether or not a patent application is directed towards patentable subject matter should be done separately to determining issues of novelty and inventive step. However, amendments to the Australian Patent Examiners Manual late last year introduced a new practice, encouraging consideration of prior art when assessing subject matter eligibility, which in Australia includes the requirement that the invention be a manner of manufacture. A year on, it seems that this supposed clarification to the Manual has only resulted in confusion and uncertainty about what role prior art plays in determining the existence of patentable subject matter.

The precise legal situation when it comes to the protection of intellectual property in the Caribbean territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is probably in the blind spot of most Dutch patent and trademark attorneys. A recent constitutional reform seems a good occasion to set the legal framework straight.

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 diary@managingip.com

Choosing a local script mark can be good for business, as long as you get it right. Emma Barraclough explains what issues brand owners need to consider

Fees for filing Community trade marks are to be reduced for the second time in two years – but they will not be subject to a regular automatic review, as proposed by the European Commission

The new USPTO rules on claims and continuations have provoked controversy, dismay - and already one court challenge

Eileen McDermott, New York

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

It will come as no surprise to rights owners to hear that Venezuela’s government has asked for an extension to the January 1 2000 TRIPs deadline. Since TRIPs was negotiated in 1992, it has become increasingly obvious that many developing countries lack either the will or the means to fulfil completely their obligations and implement new legislation.