Four More WIPO Members Sign Marrakesh Treaty For Visually Impaired30/04/2014 by Catherine Saez and Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch 7 CommentsDuring a signing ceremony held today at the World Intellectual Property Organization, the European Union, France, Greece and India signed the treaty adopted last June to provide a wider access to copyrighted books in special format for visually impaired people.
WIPO Delegates Dig Into Core Issues Of Draft Broadcasting Treaty30/04/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 CommentsThe first half of this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting was devoted to a potential treaty to protect broadcasters’ rights. Delegations struggled to find common ground on core questions such as the scope of the protection to be granted and specific rights. This was partly attributed to the highly technical nature of the subject and informal consultations were said to have achieved more clarity on issues.
What’s Next For Patent Trolls After US Supreme Court? More Risk, For Sure30/04/2014 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe United States Supreme Court yesterday issued two rulings that were bad news for patent assertion entities, or “patent trolls”. Thanks to these decisions, trolls and other patentees could be on the hook for millions in fees whenever they bring frivolous patent infringement suits.
Fordham IP Event A Firehose Of Current IP Legal, Policy Debates28/04/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentNEW YORK – The annual Fordham Law School IP Law and Policy Conference held last week offered an intensive two days of in-depth legal issues in intellectual property, with a mix of perspectives from representatives of intergovernmental organisations, governments, courts, industry, and a smattering of public interest advocates.
Antigua Questions Efficacy Of WTO Dispute System Over IP-Related Case26/04/2014 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 CommentsCan the World Trade Organization’s smallest members use the dispute settlement system effectively? That is a question that seemed to be suggested by the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda at a WTO Dispute Settlement Body meeting yesterday, in an intellectual property-related case involving a United States gambling ban.
WTO To Consider Five Australia Plain Packaging Disputes Under One Panel26/04/2014 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 9 CommentsThe World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body yesterday agreed to establish two more panels in a dispute against Australia’s plain packaging for tobacco products, bringing the total to five. And it was agreed that a single panel will be appointed to study the five complaints.
NETmundial Internet Governance Meeting Closes With Less Than “Rough Consensus”25/04/2014 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentRussia, Cuba, India and the civil society stakeholder group did not agree to the final outcome document of the NETmundial internet governance meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil yesterday.
UN Climate Change Report Assesses Options For Technology And IP Policy25/04/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 7 CommentsThe latest United Nations report on climate change offers advice for international and national intellectual property policies relating to climate change mitigation technology. Although strong IP rights may foster green technology development and transfer in developed countries, there is a lack of evidence to support IP strengthening in developing countries, it concludes.
NetMundial Outcome Document Now Available25/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe final outcome document of the two-day NetMundial internet governance meeting in Sao Paolo has been posted. The meeting took place on 23-24 April. The document is available here. The 11-page “statement” document contains different sections addressing key related and tangential issues to internet governance. It does not appear to include intellectual property directly, but […]
US, Japan Agree To “Inject New Momentum” Into TPP Talks25/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 CommentsJapan and the United States today announced their renewed commitment to an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The statement from the bilateral leaders’ meeting followed reports that bilateral talks toward the TPP were stalling. The White House statement reads: “The United States and Japan also coordinate closely in multilateral financial and economic fora to advance […]
