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The CII directive has provoked controversy since it was first proposed, and opinion remains bitterly divided on its merits. As the European Parliament prepares to consider the latest draft, five commentators provide very different perspectives

Nederlandsch Octrooibureau, The Hague

The Supreme Court will this month hear arguments in a case that will set the boundaries for what research is exempted from patent infringement. Lily Rin-Laures and Sandip Patel explain what the outcome will mean for researchers and patent owners

We hear all of the time that the internet has changed our lives. Well, it also has changed the way we practise law and has allowed us to obtain information about US patents, patent applications, and patent cases almost instantaneously. Such information enables us to answer our client's questions cost effectively. I have found that several of the US government-sponsored, IP-related websites are particularly helpful. Moreover, these sites are free and do not require an account set-up.

The government has announced that it wants to make a number of key changes to Korea's Patent Act. It is expected to submit a bill introducing the changes to the National Assembly in October 2005. The proposed revisions deal with the following points:

On January 21 the Indian government issued a Special Notice that all patent applications filed or claiming priority up to July 20 2003 would be deemed to have been published. Accordingly, Requests for Examination can be filed in respect of all applications filed or claiming priority up to that date. The complete specification in respect of all such applications can be inspected at the Patent Office.

A monthly column devoted to the curiosities and controversies of the IP world

Emma Barraclough

Protecting format rights in the Middle East is really no different than anywhere else in the world. There are no formal provisions in the law here for the registration of format rights.

Scientific research that looks for useful applications, processes, or products in nature is called biodiversity prospecting, or bioprospecting. In many cases, bioprospecting is a search for useful organic compounds in microorganisms, plants, and fungi that grow in extreme environments, such as rainforests, deserts, and hot springs. Malaysia, being one of the 12 mega-diverse countries in the world, and rich with biological diversity, is an attractive location for scientists to conduct these bioprospecting activities.