Intellectual property

There was an unprecedented number of cybersquatting cases in 2007, according to the latest statistics from the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

Small is beautiful: patent applications are continuing to rise, but the European Patent Office is pleased that the number it grants is falling.

A common format for filing patent applications to the European, Japanese and US patent offices will be introduced at the beginning of next year.

A record 39,945 international trademark applications were received in 2007 by the World Intellectual Property Organization, up 9.5 per cent on 2006.

After more than 30 years of failure there could be political agreement paving the way for a Community Patent by the end of the year.

A record 156,000 patents were filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in 2007, up 4.7 per cent over the previous year.

Three decades of relative calm in the world of patents is coming to an end, says recently installed EPO head Alison Brimelow.

The European Commission is planning legislation to make it easier to set up collaborative laboratories in the European Union.

Croatia and Norway have signed up to the European Patent Convention taking the total number of European Patent Organisation member states to 34.

The WHO is looking to patent pools to prevent blocking IP and give earlier access to generics manufacturers as part of a plan to improve healthcare in developing countries.