The Global Debate On IP, Trade And Development: Past, Present and Future29/04/2017 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentRegister Now for The Global Debate on Intellectual Property, Trade and Development: Past, Present and Future – A Conference in Honour of Pedro Roffe, taking place on 15 June at the University of Geneva, Uni-Bastions, Geneva, Switzerland. Registration is open and free, see details.
European Court Of Justice Tightens Screws On “Streaming”28/04/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 CommentsIn a judgment this week, the European Court of Justice ruled that “the sale of a multimedia player which enables films that are available illegally on the internet to be viewed easily and for free on a television screen could constitute an infringement of copyright“ (C:2017:300).
New Open Source Licence For Seeds28/04/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 7 CommentsThe Germany-based OpenSourceSeeds initiative this month started to offer open source-licensed seeds in an effort to strengthen a form of “copyleft” for new plant varieties. The goal, according to the organisation established by academics, activists and breeders and establish a non-private seed sector as a second pillar alongside private plant breeding.
Polish Government Drafts New Authors’ Rights Collective Management Law28/04/2017 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentWARSAW – Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage is drafting a new law on collective rights management which is to implement the relevant European Union legislation into Polish law. However, a think tank with close ties to the government has released a report that points to the relatively high operational costs of the authors’ and creators’ organisations, and could pave the way for further modifications to the system.
TRIPS Flexibilities Under Threat From Investment Disputes: A Closer Look At Canada’s “Win” Against Eli Lilly27/04/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 CommentsCynthia Ho writes: In the first known investment dispute regarding patents, Eli Lilly & Co v. Canada, Canada recently prevailed over the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. Although Canada won in a unanimous decision, the ruling does not, however, guarantee domestic discretion going forward, contrary to the suggestion of some.
E-Commerce Is For Young People, Small Enterprises, Regulation Not Essential, Alibaba Founder Tells Geneva27/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentElectronic commerce should be the realm of young people under 30 and of small enterprises, according to Alibaba founder Jack Ma, speaking at an event on digital trade in Geneva this week. He also pressed countries to just get on the e-commerce train, and worry about regulations later. Meanwhile, World Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevêdo said at the same event that without help small companies would no better survive the competition of large companies online than they did in the real world.
WTO IP Division Director’s Thoughts On World IP Day26/04/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentAntony Taubman, director of the World Trade Organization Intellectual Property Division, has been in a good position to view the world and intellectual property for some time. Today, designated as World IP Day, we caught up with him to ask his views on the theme this year.
US Government Intends To Grant Exclusive Licence On Zika Patent Over Objection Of Civil Society26/04/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentThe United States Department of Defense has announced that it intends to grant Sanofi Pasteur, a French pharmaceutical corporation, exclusive rights to develop a vaccine for the Zika virus. The decision follows outcry from the public and civil society groups over concerns of affordability and accessibility in taking such a step.
Winners Of Ideas4Change For UN Sustainable Development Goals26/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentInventions to contribute to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have been rewarded. A reactor which converts carbon dioxide into ethanol, a method for the detection of pesticides and contaminants in food, and renewable leather created from bacteria won the heart of the jury.
‘Make Sure The Trademark Lawyer Is There’ At The Beginning26/04/2017 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentFor World Intellectual Property Day this year, the World Intellectual Property Organization held a discussion on “Innovation in Communication: A State of Mind,” with a creator designer, a brand consultant and a writer as the panel.
