Enzymes A Potential Planet-Saver, But Heavy Patenting Necessary, Industry Says 07/04/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A dominant global producer of enzymes is arguing that enzymes in biotechnology can make a significant contribution to global environment improvement, but this effort comes with heavy patenting by the company.
People: Kean Out At WHO; US Trade Team In Place 06/04/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The latest news on people in the international IP community.
Detailed Summary Of Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty Released 06/04/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Specific topics being discussed under the secretive negotiating process of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement were revealed Monday when the office of US Trade Representative Ron Kirk released a summary of the key elements under discussion. The summary is available from the USTR website here [pdf]. The six-page document outlines legal frameworks for IP rights enforcement […]
Advocates Call For Balance In Obama IP Appointments 06/04/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Several recent Obama appointees selected to oversee different aspects of IP policy had immediately before their appointments represented copyright industries, says a letter signed by 19 US-based public interest groups sent to the president last week [pdf]. There is a critical need to balance the interests of authors “in the control and exploitation of their […]
Industry Urged G20 To Consider Importance Of IP 06/04/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Industry representatives sent a message to the Group of 20 leaders last week that intellectual property rights should be given more attention by governments and could bring benefit to the global economy if properly protected. A representative from the Confederation of British Industries said policymakers should assess the economic value of IP, IP offices should […]
Trademark Decision Brews Up French-Press Coffee Competition 06/04/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Connoisseurs of French-press coffee based in the United States will still be able to choose between two competing distributors for their favourite brewing device following a recent US court decision over trademark rights on the distinctive coffeemakers.
Special Interests Seeking Power In ICANN’s New Stakeholder Group 04/04/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which coordinates the global domain name system, is in the process of reforming its core bodies, and consumer representatives and others see a possibility to inject more balance into the international organisation’s stakeholder groups long dominated by a range of private sector representatives.
Study: Blanket Licence For Non-Commercial Copies Needed 04/04/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A blanket licence for non-commercial copies is the logical answer to the technology revolution brought on by the internet. This is the conclusion of a study by the Institute of European Media Law commissioned by the German Green Party and presented in Berlin on 3 April. The study argues that a blanket licence would not […]
Obama And The Media-Sharing Blues 03/04/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Electronic Frontier Foundation has reported that Obama’s gift to the Queen of England, an iPod loaded with Broadway showtunes, may have come with some copyright questions. The issue is over where copyright law stands when music being gifted is digital. In the digital era, the concept of first sale and ownership rights is heavily […]
High Level Task Force On Human Rights Turns Eye To Health And IP 03/04/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and James Leonard for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization global strategy on health and intellectual property includes powerful and potentially paradigm-shifting elements, but it also has notable shortcomings for human rights, says a new document prepared for the United Nations group responsible for the right to development.