Trade Commissioner Malmstroem Promotes TTIP, Warns Against Intolerance 12/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments MUNICH — At a New Year’s reception of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Karlsruhe, Germany today, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem promoted the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and warned against “extreme views, opposed to open societies and economies.”
US Intellectual Property Law In 2016: A Preview 11/01/2016 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Familiar intellectual property concerns will continue to vex the United States in the coming year. The scope of patent-eligible subject matter, the requirements for safe-harbor protections against copyright infringement, and the registration of disparaging trademarks will be among the top IP issues to watch in 2016, according to experts.
TPP, India Most-Read IP-Watch Stories Of 2015 11/01/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The most-read stories of 2015 on the Intellectual Property Watch website fairly reflected the trends of the year, with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, India’s evolving intellectual property rights policies, European Patent Office patents on conventional vegetables, biologics, 3D printing, and some pop culture issues leading the way. In the coming weeks, IP-Watch will review in-depth what’s in store for 2016, already underway. But for now, let’s take a look at last year’s highlights.
New Year Brings New Faces To IP World, Bids Others Farewell 08/01/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The New Year brings some new faces in the intellectual property world as several changes were announced at the end of 2015, in particular at the European Commission, in the private sector and non-governmental organisations. In Geneva, the coordination of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries changes, and the UN Plant Treaty is working on intersessional committees. And a leading light in the IP publishing world has retired.
Zimbabwe Plans Open Access Policy, Part Of Efforts Across Africa 06/01/2016 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Zimbabwe has kicked off a new project to support adoption of research data management and sharing services among government, universities and research institutions as part of its plans to pave the way for a nationwide open access mandate. Meanwhile, similar efforts are appearing across Africa.
WIPO Survey Seeks Public Input On UN Agency’s Development Agenda 24/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Interested observers have a unique opportunity until mid-January to give their views on the landmark 2007 World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda, including its implementation, relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency in use of resources, and its sustainability.
Brazil, Australia Ratify Marrakesh Treaty For Visually Impaired, Seven To Go 17/12/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Last week, the World Intellectual Property Organization treaty which is expected to facilitate access to special format works for blind and visually impaired people gained two more ratifications, bringing the accession to the treaty to 13. The treaty will enter into force three months after the accession of the 20th member.
Exceptions To Copyright To Remain On Agenda Of WIPO Copyright Committee 17/12/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Copyright exceptions for libraries, archives, educational and research institutions and persons with disabilities other than visual impairment will remain on the agenda of the next session of the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee. The subject is touchy as developing countries deem those exceptions vital for development and developed countries say that the current global copyright framework leaves enough space for national exceptions to copyright.
WSIS+10: Roles, Responsibilities Remain Hot; Cybersecurity Treaty Demanded By Many States 16/12/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Between a lot of applause this week for the first post-WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) decade and especially for the negotiated agreement for the coming 10 years, some cracks appeared. These tell how differently regions still view roles and responsibilities for critical infrastructure management, and also the discrepancy between declaration and deployment of principles of the information society. In a notable statement, Mitchell Baker, chair of the Mozilla Foundation, warned that governments still have to learn how to govern the connected.
US Agency Stripped Of Power To Regulate Internet 16/12/2015 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment America’s International Trade Commission is a tempting venue for US intellectual property owners. The agency acts quickly, has a history of supporting IP owners, and offers a powerful means to stop infringing products from entering the US. So when the ITC expanded its jurisdiction last year, claiming the power to stop online infringements, many IP owners cheered. And many internet companies fretted. Until last month, when the Federal Circuit had its say.