What Questions Did The WSIS+10 High Level Event Answer? 16/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Consultant Richard Hill writes: The WSIS+10 High Level Event (HLE) last week unanimously adopted two documents (a Statement and a Vision), consisting of some 37 pages of text. What can be learned from this event regarding the evolution of the Internet and its governance? Some of what can be learned confirms what was learned from Netmundial. This short note covers only such items (that is, those that overlap Netmundial), and it may not cover all such items. The HLE output contains many items that were not covered by Netmundial, and Netmundial covered some items that were not covered by the HLE (in particular mass surveillance and the transition of the IANA function).
Dutch Supreme Court Allows Evidentiary Seizures In All Civil Cases 05/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In civil litigation, obtaining the necessary evidence to substantiate a claim can be rather challenging. This can be particularly problematic if the required evidence is in the possession of the opposing party or even a third party. In the Netherlands, this problem is strengthened by the fact that the concept of US style discovery or UK style disclosure does not exist. Levying evidentiary seizures could therefore be a powerful tool, say two Dutch-based attorneys.
Ten Answers From NETmundial 01/05/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In a previous Inside Views article, 10 questions were raised with the hope that they would be answered in the “Global Multisectoral Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance,” also known as NETmundial. After the meeting, the author, Juan Fernández, looks at the answers.
Ten Questions About Internet Governance 22/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On April 23 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the “Global Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance,” also known as “NETmundial” in an allusion to the global football event that will occur later in that country, will be convened. Juan Alfonso Fernández González of the Cuban Communications Ministry and a veteran of the UN internet governance meetings, raises 10 questions that need to be answered at NETmundial.
University Of Geneva Internet L@w Summer School In June 04/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The University of Geneva is launching an Internet l@w summer school which will take place from June 16 to June 27, 2014. The Internet l@w summer school offers the opportunity to learn and discuss internet law and policies with experts from leading institutions including the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, the Internet Society, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as from other prestigious academic or governmental institutions and global internet companies (eBay and Google). Topics to be covered include privacy and surveillance, free speech, telecom and internet infrastructure, intellectual property, antitrust, choice of court & choice of law, on-line contracts, consumer protection, legal issues of social media and cloud computing. The website of the Internet l@w summer school is: www.internetlaw-geneva.ch Registration deadline: May 15, 2014 (early bird: April 15).
IP Law Europe Summit To Be Held In June 03/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment marcus evans is pleased to announce the IP Law Europe Summit taking place 2-3 June 2014 at Le Meridien Beach Plaza Monte Carlo in Monaco. In the era of the global knowledge economy, the subject of IP has become increasingly contentious and publicly debated. Its reach has exploded across virtually every domain: policy, digital media, public health, human rights, and the environment. Meanwhile, never before has information been so easily replicable or technology so convergent. The IP Law Europe Summit is the premium forum bringing together leading in-house IP counsel with international law firms, IP attorneys and legal services providers. The Summit offers regional IP executives an intimate environment for a focused discussion of key new drivers shaping the IP industry. Key topics being discussed will include IP strategy and operations, cost-containment, latest developments in patent legislation in EU and US, technology and innovation, and more. Leading these discussions are senior IP executives from companies like WIPO, Microsoft, Swarovski, and Dolby International. Delegates will include senior executives responsible for IP decision-making in the areas of Patents, Trademark, Copyright, Litigation and/or Legal Affairs. Each participant at the summit will be eligible to earn SRA CPD credits. Between session presentations and networking, in-house IP counsel and service providers engage in pre-scheduled, mutually selected one-on-one business meetings. Over the course of the event, each senior executive representing their service provider company is guaranteed a minimum of 10-12 meetings, each strictly timed to 30 minutes. For more information, visit the online info sheet here: http://www.iplawsummiteurope.com/marketing_434
Quantitative Analysis Of Contributions To NETMundial Meeting 20/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A quantitative analysis of the 187 submissions to the April NETmundial conference on the future of internet governance shows broad support for improving security, ensuring respect for privacy, ensuring freedom of expression, and globalizing the IANA function, analyst Richard Hill writes.
How To Safeguard Trade Secrets: Think ROI 17/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Amid intensifying competition in the global economy, companies rely more heavily than ever on the advantages of trade secrets. This critical proprietary information includes, for example, market research, product plans, unique formulas and manufacturing methods, computer code and customer data – knowledge that companies build through years of hard work, experience and investment, writes Pamela Passman.
New Constitutions Of Egypt, Tunisia Provide For IP Rights Protection For First Time 10/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Last January, Egypt and Tunisia enacted new constitutions which provide for the protection of intellectual property rights, at the constitutional level, for the first time in the history of both countries. In addition, they include clauses which give priority to building a knowledge economy, Ahmed Abdel-Latif writes.
UN Internet Governance Discussion: Why Did It Fail To Agree And Why Will Discussions Continue?” 03/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation held what was supposed to be its last meeting in Geneva on 24-28 February. However, as explained below, the group failed to agree certain key issues, so it agreed to meet again on 7-9 May. Richard Hill offers an explanation.