As part of efforts to mark World Intellectual Property Day, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently launched a new public service announcement intended to discourage intellectual property theft.

The Chinese government recently kicked off an initiative to destroy pirated and illegal publications as part of an official nod to World Intellectual Property Day, which officially takes place on April 26.

Despite its support for reform of the U.S. patent system, the Biotechnology Industry Organization recently called for changes to the patent reform legislation that was recently passed by the House Judiciary Committee.

The Licensing Executives Society, a professional society made up of members associated with the transfer, use, marketing and development of intellectual property, recently announced a series of events set to raise awareness about the importance of intellectual property.

The World Intellectual Property Organization recently announced its international patent system has received 2 million patent filings since its inception.

In what may be a sign that the European economy is recovering from the recent global financial crisis, the European Patent Office recently announced patent filings reached record levels in 2010, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The governments of the UK and the United States recently announced they have made progress on a joint plan to cooperate on patents.

After much debate and discussion, the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently announced that it plans to launch a new, fast-tracked patent application option in May.

Applications for new trademarks and renewals of existing trademarks both increased steadily in 2010, indicating a recovery from setbacks experienced as a result of the global economic crisis, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization.

David Kappos, under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, recently addressed the government's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.