Friday fantasies

Bravo, BIA! Yesterday's post, "Of Courts and Consultations: a call for action" (here), on the problems of launching consultations in time for EU governments to make written observations in IP cases heading for the Court of Justice of the European Union, has resonated in at least some respectable quarters.  The IPKat has heard from Antonis Papasolomontos (Head of Public Affairs and Policy, BioIndustry Association (BIA) that "we raise this issue with the IPO as well as an industry trade body. We have written to Ministers about it and raised in our regular bilateral meetings with the IPO. Our experience is much like yours in terms of the response we are given and the role of HM Treasury solicitors. We will continue to raise this issue where we can". Thanks, Antonis -- and good on you, BIA. Adds Merpel, it's good to see the BIA campaigning for a cause that can benefit not just its own members but the entire IP community.

Around the weblogs. Our recently-departed and deeply missed Katonomist Nicola Searle has drawn our attention to two quality blogs from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD to its friends and admirers).  OECD has a suite of four blogs, listed here, of which Nicola particularly praises Insights.  "They bravely have comments turned On", she adds.  Gill Grassie's guest editorial for the February issue of JIPLP takes a cool look at Scotland's IP prospects if, even as the UK talks of the European Union, Scotland considers leaving the UK.

IPKat competitions.  The IPKat has received some truly dreadful puns (his competition, here, closes on Sunday 3 February).  Meanwhile, yesterday's IP + Retail limerick competition, which closes on Thursday 6 February, has received some outstanding entries -- several from senior IP partners who have obviously been experiencing oh-dear-it's-Friday concentration problems with their fee-earning work.  Details of this competition are here.  The IPKat welcomes last-minute entries, especially if they are amusing ...

Will the refreshments
be as good as the
speakers ...?

"The Strange World of IP Consents"-- a forthcoming attraction.  On Tuesday 19 February, 5pm to 7pm (inclusive of registration and refreshments: it's really 5.15pm to 6.30pm) in the lovely premises of Olswang LLP's London office at 90 High Holborn, IPKat blogger, practitioner, scholar and IP transaction guru Neil J. Wilkof will be sharing a double bill with heavy-hitting katfriend, IP Draughts blogger, scholar and IP transaction guru Mark Anderson in which they will be discussing exciting topics like trade mark consents and coexistence, and the difference between licences and covenants not to sue.  IPKat blogmeister Jeremy will be in the chair,  CPD points will be available and admission is, in true IPKat tradition, free.  To register, email here with the subject line "IP Consents", giving your name and affiliation (if any). There are no other formalities.  See you there?

Are you an EQE candidate in need of cramming? If so, take note. Bill Chandler (Member of the Board of European Patent Office's Appeal Technical Board of Appeal - Electricity) writes:

"For those who have not yet managed to get five hours of peace at work or at home to put the final polish on their knowledge and technique for Paper C of the European Qualifying Examination, CEIPI still have some free places available for last minute applicants in the English group of the 'Cramming Course C' in Strasbourg. The course runs from Thursday, 7 February to Friday (AM), 8 February (1.5 days) and involves a mock examination (C 2012) followed by feedback and a discussion in a small group with C-Book co-author Bill Chandler. Further details are available here.”

Merpel thinks it's funny that the IPKat should be giving a plug to a member of the EPO's Electricity BoA.



Elsewhere online.  The Kluwer IP Law website has been given a wash-and-brush-up recently. While some tiresome pedants might just challenge the site's claim to be the "all-in-one online resource for all aspects of intellectual property law" [perhaps the word 'all' carries a special meaning here, mewses Merpel], it's pretty handy nonetheless.