The Japan Association of Music Enterprises, the Japan Council of Performers' Organizations and the Federation of Music Producers Japan announced on April 30, 2009 the establishment in May 2009 of an entity dedicated to the licensing of video content, tentatively called the Video Content Right-handling Organization.

Reversing a previous High Court ruling, a Malaysian Court of Appeal judged on April 29, 2009 that the word McCurry, used as name by a local restaurant, was not infringing on the US fast-food giant McDonald's trademark rights.

Officials of the European Union (EU) announced on April 23, 2009 that the European Parliament had approved a bill extending from 50 years to 70 years the term of copyright protection for performing musicians.