Brazil’s Discussion On Copyright Law Reform – Response To The Digital Era? 15/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Brazil is actively engaged in a cutting-edge debate over reform of its copyright law, involving issues such as the abuse of copyright holders and constructive exceptions in the law (like copying for education and/or transformative purposes and authorisation to copy by libraries and museums to preserve their works). But the government needs to hear from all interested parties – especially the artists – and avoid letting the debate transform into a political-ideological discussion, writes Brazilian lawyer Manuela Correia Botelho Colombo.
Alleged New ACTA Draft Text Leaked 14/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The latest text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) reflecting the late June – early July negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland has allegedly been leaked, just after being placed in a secret reading room for the European Parliament (IPW, IP Burble, 14 July 2010). Non-governmental group La Quadrature du Net announced today (Bastille Day) that it […]
ACTA In Secret Reading Room For EU Parliament 14/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of the European Parliament will be able to read the current draft of the much-debated Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in the “secret reading room” for the Parliament, Green Party Member Jan Philipp Albrecht told Intellectual Property Watch after this week’s committee sessions with EU Commissioner Karel DeGucht. DeGucht reiterated the main commitments about ACTA […]
New Climate Technologies Rarely Reaching Developing Countries, Panel Says 13/07/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Climate-friendly technologies are only rarely being transferred to developing countries, and then primarily to a small handful of emerging market economies, said the findings of a study presented today. That the changing global climate requires urgent response, and that this response will most likely include technology, is largely agreed. But what role intellectual property rights play in making sure that technology exists and is available is still not yet fully understood.
Panel: Copyright Needed In Music, But Should Benefit Musicians 12/07/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments Copyright is critical to the survival of the music industry and its creators, but lack of respect for copyright is not why artists are struggling to make ends meet, argued a recent panel of media lawyers and music industry experts. The blame for that lies squarely on the corporate-focus of the music industry, and how it has bent copyright law to serve companies rather than composers, said a panel at the University of Westminster.
July Edition Of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 12/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Edition features top news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the international IP community, news briefs and more. The July edition is now available for subscribers at: http://www.ip-watch.org/user/newsletter.
German Parliament Members Seek Limited Patent Terms In EU-India FTA 12/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Health experts of the German Parliament are concerned about possible negative effects of the European Union-India free trade agreement under negotiation. In a letter dated 8 July, the Parliament’s Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development called on the European Commission and the German Government to ensure in the ongoing negotiations “that rules on intellectual property […]
US Rightsholders Seek Narrower Scope Of ACTA, Clarity On Trademark Infringement Vs. Counterfeiting 10/07/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Many of the 11 negotiating partners of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) for years have underlined that the new anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy agreement will not change their national laws, with the United States and the European Union especially firm on this point. Yet the Washington, DC-based Intellectual Property Owners’ Association (IPO) in a recent letter, here, to the US Trade Representative stated concern that ACTA “potentially change(s) United States law by transforming what are the commonly occurring non-counterfeit-types of civil action infringements into activity that is to be punished under federal criminal law.”
USPTO Invites Comments On Strategic Plan 09/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The US Patent and Trademark Office announced today that its draft strategic plan for fiscal year 2010-2015 is available for public review and comment online. The aim of the strategic plan is to focus on patent and trademark quality and enhance the timeliness of both, and to provide “global and domestic leadership to improve intellectual […]
TB Alliance And DNDi Team Up To Fight Neglected Diseases 09/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two not-for-profit drug developers, TB Alliance and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), have created a product development partnership (PDP) in the form of a royalty-free licence agreement intended to drive development of new drugs for several neglected diseases. This is the first such licence between two nonprofit drug developers, they said in a […]