"Privatizing Trademarks" is the title of a fascinating piece by Irina D. Manta, an Assistant Professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Irina reviews the effect of the (monopolistic) US Patent and Trademark Office on the way trade marks promote a competitive and productive marketplace. In recommending that privatisation of the USPTO, she draws some comparisons with the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, which is to some degree in competition with national trade mark granting authorities in the market for the provision of trade mark monopoly rights in Europe.

You can read Irina's argument here. If you'd like to send her any comments, you can email her here.