Australia will soon be the first nation to require all tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging. From December 1, 2012, tobacco packaging will be standardized for all manufacturers; photographic health warnings will occupy 75% of the front and 90% of the back of the packaging, and product names will appear in a uniform font in the remainder of the pack, which itself must be colored olive green. No famous logos, other branding, trademarks or colors can be applied.

By harmonizing the technical regulations governing the cosmetics industry in the ASEAN region over the past few years, the ASEAN Cosmetics Association has been the driving force toward better quality and standards. This harmonization has also helped remove trade barriers under the ASEAN Free Trade Area.

With the recent economic downturn, Thailand’s government holds a fairly liberal attitude toward international business and trade. The model for economic growth currently being pursued by the Thai government is particularly advantageous to the country’s exporters and to foreign investors. For example, membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other organizations commits Thailand to the reduction and removal of tariffs, duties, non-tariff barriers, and other impediments to trade.

The 6th edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Telecoms, Media, and Internet Laws and Regulations covers 33 different jurisdictions, with a Q&A-style chapter for each jurisdiction.

With regulatory changes occurring in Vietnam to promote foreign investment, familiarity with the law on franchising in Vietnam is imperative to strategic decision-making for all types of investors, ranging from foreign companies to entrepreneurs. Getting the Deal Through has published a multi-jurisdictional guide to franchising in 33 different countries worldwide. The Vietnam chapter was written by Thom Thi Mai Nguyen and Huong Thi Thanh Nguyen, attorneys-at-law at the Tilleke & Gibbins corporate and commercial team in Vietnam, and covers the following:

Online lucky draw campaigns are becoming one of the more popular marketing tactics to promote brands and products, as consumers are attracted to the promise of free goods and services, and internet users can quickly pass along links to friends via social networking. Lucky draws or other sweepstakes-type contests have the added bonus of being easy and cheap for companies to arrange.

Companies in the food industry face significant challenges when launching new products. Of course, they need to take all the usual steps to protect their intellectual property rights. But in addition, they are also required to obtain market authorization from specific regulatory authorities before launching a new product.

The 3rd edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Patents provides practical cross-border insight into patent law, across 31 jurisdictions, and is presented in Q&A form. Nandana Indananda and Nuttaphol Arammuang, partner and attorney-at-law in the Tilleke & Gibbins intellectual property team, have contributed to this year’s chapter on patent law in Thailand.