On December 3,2003,the National Council of the Slovak Republic has adopted an amendment to the Act No.55/1997 Coll., on Trademarks. The amendment reflects in particular the upcoming access of the Slovak Republic to the European Union, introducing provisions related to the Community trademark. 

Act 510/2002 on Payment Systems took effect on January 1 2003. It is the first domestic law to regulate payment transactions and was drafted to ensure compliance with EU law.

From May 2004, ten countries will accede to the European Union: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The current European Union is already the biggest single market in the world. In its enlarged state, it will draw over 19% of world trade and will represent around 46 – 50% of world outward FDI and 20 - 24% of inward FDI.

The fight against global climate change reached the next level this February when the Kyoto Protocol came into effect. Under the international treaty, the European community agreed to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 8 percent below its 1990 levels starting in 2008. One of the elements of the EU's combat strategy in this environmental effort is emissions trading.

A discussion paper on health and lifestyles in the new Northern & Central European states in the European Union presented by DrJur. Edward Lestrade, MA (Org.Psych – Lancaster, UK), LLB (Northumbria); DrJurSc (NWCU;)Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine; Fellow of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health of the United Kingdom (elected in 1996); Member – Chartered Institute of Journalists; International Bar Association; Eligible Member (Barrister & Solicitor) Asia Pacific Bars. Dr Lestrad