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As competition between firms for trade mark work increases, Ann Chapman reveals the latest trends in European practice

In preparation for joining the WTO, China has amended its patent law. Jiwen Chen says the changes will enhance protection and simplify application procedures and enforcement

Enforcement of rights in China has not had a good press. But, as James W Gould reports, improved institutions and procedures mean that rights owners can now have more confidence in the courts

Last month, German pharmaceutical company Bayer became the latest multinational to set-up a research and development centre in Shanghai. Its presence brings the total of foreign investors in the area to 32, a figure that includes some of the world's biggest high-tech powerhouses. The invasion is prompting a major overhaul of IP protection

Bruce A Lehman President, International Intellectual Property Institute Washington DC

Bertelsmann, one of five companies suing Napster for copyright infringement, has offered to loan Napster the funds it needs to develop a secure file-sharing service.

In Euromarket Designs Inc v Peters & anr (unreported: 27/07/2000), the claimant ran the US "Crate & Barrel" stores selling household goods and furniture, and also owned UK and Community-wide trade marks. The first defendant owned a company (the second defendant) which had a shop in Ireland called "Crate & Barrel". The defendants had a website to sell their products and advertised in Homes & Gardens magazine which has a UK and Republic of Ireland based circulation. The claimant sought summary judgment in the UK alleging infringement of its UK trade mark. The defendants intended to sell only to and in the Irish market and therefore argued that it was not using the trade mark "in the course of trade" in the UK.

Two of the paint industry´ s leading manufacturers were recently engaged in a court battle over the use of the phrase "3 in 1". Nippon Paint (Nippon) had alleged that its rival, ICI Paints (ICI), had been passing off products that were confusingly similar to its "Nippon 3 in 1" interior wall paint.

Today the Russian Federation is a country where industrial property continues to grow in importance.

Biotechnology and e-commerce have raised the demand for and created a shortage of specialized IP attorneys in the US. Law firms are under pressure to raise recruitment levels and reduce attrition. Tabitha Parker investigates