US Congressional Panel Mulls Royalty Right For Songs On Radio 31/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Well-loved American performers, members of Congress and the US Register of Copyrights squared off Tuesday against the country’s powerful broadcast lobby in a bid to change US copyright law to reward artists for songs played on terrestrial radio stations. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and […]
UN Body Offers Guidance To Governments On Boosting IP Systems 30/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization may be the biggest United Nations agency in Geneva working on IP issues, but another body also has taken up the effort. And in a recent conference held by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), panels of experts informed officials from economies in transition about technology […]
EU Seeks Stronger IP Enforcement At Every Level 30/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The growing problem of intellectual property rights piracy and counterfeiting requires global cooperation, and the European Union has elevated its focus on the issue at every policy level, an EU official told a recent intergovernmental gathering discussing IP and economies in transition. The official described efforts internally within its members, in bilateral […]
Europe Takes IP Enforcement Build-up To Intergovernmental Channels 30/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Advanced European countries are increasingly looking for channels to school their neighbours and worldwide free-trade agreement partners on the enforcement of western-style intellectual property rights. And in order to get them to bite, officials are promoting the benefits to countries themselves of creating and protecting their own ideas. Now an effort is […]
IPO Posts Comparison of US House, Senate Patent Reform Bills 27/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The Intellectual Property Owners’ Association, a Washington, DC industry association, has posted on its website a side-by-side comparison of the two bills to reform US patent law currently advancing in the US Congress. Both bills moved at the committee level last week but now face uncertainty. Both chambers are working furiously toward […]
Film Company Wins thesimpsonsmovie.com From Cybersquatter. Doh! 26/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch As the “Simpsons Movie” rolls out on silver screens across the United States and Europe, word comes that its maker, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, has won the rights to the domain name “thesimpsonsmovie.com” from a stand-up comedian who failed to strike the international arbitrator’s sense of humour. […]
Le Comité de l’OMPI sur les savoirs traditionnels et le folklore prolonge et ajuste son mandat 26/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Après d’intenses négociations de dernière minute, un comité de l’Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle (OMPI) a décidé de renouveler son mandat actuel, en accordant davantage d’importance à la direction qu’il souhaite donner à ses travaux futurs. I. Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, ambassadeur indonésien et président du comité, a confié […]
US Patent Reform Advances But Outcome, Global Impact Uncertain 25/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Legislation for sweeping reform of the US patent system emerged from House and Senate committees last week. Among other changes, the bills would more closely align the US scheme with international patent practice, create an additional opportunity to challenge the validity of questionable patents, and limit damages in some infringement lawsuits. But the bills’ future is unpredictable, observers say.
Observers Watchful Of US Trade Impact On Medicines Access 24/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States has begun incorporating a revised intellectual property and health policy into its bilateral trade deals. But although the overall softer approach towards its partners may improve access to medicines, the debate on the impact of the US free trade agreements on public health in developing countries is […]
Comité de la OMPI extiende y ajusta su mandato sobre conocimientos tradicionales y folclore 20/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Tras intensos debates y a última hora, un comité de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) decidió renovar su actual mandato, con un poco más de énfasis en la dirección que tomará su labor futura. El Presidente de la sesión I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Embajador de Indonesia […]