It has been announced that Sweden has joined Spain and ratified the Madrid Protocol, thus doubling at one stroke the number of members of the Protocol. The Protocol does not come into force until at least three months after a fourth ratification has been received. The government in the United Kingdom is known to be working actively on the preparation of the necessary secondary legislation for ratification which, our sources indicate, may take place as early as April or May. Germany is also preparing legislation, but this is unlikely to be passed until fall.