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Danish Patent and Trademark Office

The Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO) is the official representative of Denmark acting on behalf of the Danish Government regarding all aspects of IP legislation and policy. The DKPTO's Policy and Legal Affairs Department is responsible for developing Denmark's IP legislation and policy in relation to patents, utility models, trademarks and designs. Thus the site provides links to treaties, EU Council regulations and agreements and other materials concerning patents, utility models, trade marks and designs.

NIPC Gulf

Blog about intellectual property and commercial law in the Gulf states, by English barrister and arbitrator Jane Lambert. Discusses recent cases and other legal developments, events and other matters. A Twitter feed is available.

NIPC Law

Intellectual property law blog by Jane Lambert, an English barrister and arbitrator. Discusses recent cases and other developments in UK and European IP law. Updates are available by RSS feed, via Twitter or by email.

Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property was founded in Bern in 1888. It is the Federal Agency for intellectual property matters but has its own legal personality and is independent of the Swiss Federal budget. Its primary role is as a first point of contact for customers who need industrial property rights. The site provides background information about patents, trademarks, designs and copyright, with links to further details. Forms for completion and submission are available to download in Word and PDF formats.

inpi.fr: Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle: marques, brevets, sociétés, dessins, modèles

Inpi is a French public body with responsibility for industrial and intellectual property. It helps to formulate public policy on intellectual property in France, and it registers and grants patents, trademarks, models and designs. One of its aims is to publish information on industrial property in France. The databases provided on this website include trademarks, patents, designs, models and many decisions of the French courts dealing with intellectual property. The BOPI, Bulletins Officiels de la Propriété Industrielle, are also available.

IP Australia

IP Australia is the government agency responsible for granting rights in patents, trademarks and designs in Australia. Its website explains the agency's work and gives guidance on Australian intellectual property rights and regulation. It provides searchable databases giving details of existing IP rights; journals relating to trademarks, patents and designs; official notices; manuals; Australian Federal intellectual property legislation; official forms; and trade mark decisions.

Intellectual Property Department of Hong Kong

Website of the Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The site has information arranged under the following headings: trademarks; patents; design and copyright including laws, circulars, practical information for users and FAQs. There is also organisational information about the Department as a whole and notices from the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Journal relating to trademarks, patents and designs. There is background information on intellectual property and how to apply for registration in Hong Kong.

Pipers Virtual Intellectual Property Library

This site is dedicated to patent, copyright, trademark and intellectual property information. It has been developed by the New Zealand patent and trademark attorneys, Pipers. The site provides guidance and information on intellectual property issues with separate sections aimed at small businesses, inventors and corporate officers. In-house articles on various aspects of IP law are also made freely available on the site. Other facilities include a directory of patent attorneys with contact details and website links, a glossary of IP terms and links to New Zealand patent organisations.

Japan Patent Office

Website of the Japanese Patent Office. The site includes a history and outline of the industrial property system in Japan. There is guidance on obtaining rights in Japan and information on the role and organisation of the Patent Office. There are also features on legislation and practice changes and the promotion policy for patent distribution. The text of selected committee documents, reports and speeches are available in full-text and there is a link to the Japanese Industrial Property Digital Library (NPDL). The site can be viewed in English and Japanese.

European Union Intellectual Property Office

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), formerly the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), is the EU body ressponsible for the uniform protection of trade marks and industrial designs. It maintains registers of trademarks and designs and has a role in the prosecution of infringements. The EUIPO website covers the legal framework and the remit of the Office and its Boards of Appeal, as well as an online registration facility, databases, publications, news and more.

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