Coordination Mechanism Adopted For WIPO Development Agenda Implementation 01/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A mechanism to watch the continuing implementation of development-oriented principles into the World Intellectual Property Organization’s work has now been found. For many, the Development Agenda is the most important agreement in WIPO’s recent past, and the mechanism – which will monitor, assess and report on its implementation – was a critical area of importance in ensuring it reaches its full potential.
US Annual IP Enforcement Report Released 30/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An annual report from the Office of the United States Trade Representative on how well it considers other countries to be protecting and enforcing American intellectual property rights is now available. The so-called Special 301 report can be read here [pdf]. This year it praises several recent initiatives to strengthen IP internationally, including the Anti-Counterfeiting […]
Negotiators Begin To Find Common Ground In WIPO IP Development Talks 30/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A coordination mechanism and a project on transfer of technology will dominate much of the last day of the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property, but with two new projects approved the group has already made progress this week, according to sources.
Global IP Enforcement Push Impacting Consumer Access, 2010 IP Watchlist Finds 29/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The second edition of the Consumers International IP Watchlist has been published, with the conclusion that consumers are bearing collateral damage to the enforcement push by entertainment and media lobby groups encouraging stringent national legislations. Copyright laws and enforcement are changing, but mostly for the benefit of right holders, said the advocate group which encourages copyright exceptions.
US Bill On Radio Music Royalties Gets Key Backing 29/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The US Performance Rights Act got support from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California) and Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D, Illinois) last week. The Performance Rights Act seeks to equalise the rights to compensation between performers of sound recordings and terrestrial broadcasters, according to the Act summary. Musicians, artists and right holders would […]
EU-India Trade Talks Resume Under Cloud Of Concern For Public Health 27/04/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BRUSSELS – Negotiations on the EU-India free trade agreement continue tomorrow in Brussels amid warnings from non-governmental organisations from India and Europe about possible negative consequences for the public health of poor citizens in India. But European negotiators sought to assuage fears.
US Announces 25 New IP Enforcement Positions 27/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Fifteen new Assistant US Attorneys and 20 new Special Agents at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation dedicated to combatting “domestic and international IP crimes” were announced yesterday. The new attorneys are a part of the US Justice Departments Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property programme. The FBI agents will be located with “intellectual property squads” […]
New WIPO Development Agenda Group Seeks Transformation Of UN Agency 26/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments Ongoing efforts to implement the 2007 Development Agenda at the World Intellectual Property Organization took another twist today as a new group was launched representing developing countries seeking full transformation of the United Nations body toward a development-oriented perspective on intellectual property issues.
Medicrime: Another Anti-Counterfeiting Convention Emerges In Europe 24/04/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments While the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is getting a lot of attention with its draft consolidated version just published, there is another convention dealing with one major aspect it was always said ACTA would tackle. The Medicrime Convention of the Council of Europe sets the first international standard for criminalising the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeited medicine risking public health. And Medicrime will overtake ACTA, as the draft convention text is ready to be signed by the Committee of Ministers in May and be opened for signature in November.
Shareholders In 3G Mobile Patent Company Seek US Investigation Of Nokia, Ericsson 23/04/2010 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two shareholders in a Pennsylvania company with patents key to third generation (3G) mobile communications want the US Department of Justice to investigate European mobile phone manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson and others for failing to pay royalties for use of the technology. Antitrust scrutiny is needed to prevent the same thing from happening as the next generation of mobile phones rolls out, Richard Monahan and Kent Greene say.