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We all know that obtaining patent protection internationally requires considerable funds, the average probably being $ 5,000 per country. For an individual inventor this can be a lot of money. However, it can also tighten a company´ s budget since companies generally have to seek patent protection for more than one product. It has thus become standard practice to base the decision for international filings on an early examination report which may be obtained in the country of first filing. It has further become good practice to file an international (PCT) application before the end of one year after the first national filing, thereby claiming convention priority, instead of going directly national at the end of the priority year. If the applicant asks for an international preliminary examination (IPE), there will be a further indication about the chances of obtaining national patents prior to converting the international application into national original applications.

Adam Szentpeteri Jr, of SBG&K in Budapest, examines Hungary’s rocky road to European harmonization in the area of pharmaceutical patent protection

You may not put the European Patent Office top of the list when applying for e-commerce patents. Think again. Johannes Lang of BardehleoPagenberg reveals that protection is just as powerful as in the US, and in some cases even broader

Mexico has now substantially liberalized its anti-trust regime. Oscar M Becerril of Becerril, Coca & Becerril, SC in Mexico City, explains how the licensing laws affect patent owners

Japan’s patent law has seen a lot of changes over the past two years. Yoshiya Ishimura, of Tokyo Aoyama Law Office/Baker & McKenzie in Tokyo, analyzes some of the most important developments

As a survey reveals that IP enforcement in Russia is as big a problem as tax and customs, rights owners are turning to the courts for support. But Emily Downes finds that there is an urgent need for improved enforcement

Patent rights require that enforcement be swift and efficient. Carlos Octavio Mitelman, of Obligado & Cia Lda in Buenos Aires, explains how the law in Argentina fulfils these criteria

Remco EP de Ranitz and Michiel Rijsdijk of Arnold & Siedsma in The Hague, provide an overview of the latest developments in patent litigation in the Netherlands

ICANN's new system for settling domain name disputes is already making an impact. In just a couple of months, four victories have been scored by trade mark owners seeking the cyberspace rights to their trade name.

Design protection in Singapore is based on the 1949 UK law. But, say Drew & Napier, a recent case reveals important differences in application of the law