WTO TRIPS Council To Meet Amid Broader Negotiation Backdrop 13/06/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara The World Trade Organization intellectual property committee will meet next week in the midst of a tense round of trade talks where efforts to move closer to consensus are continuing and the inclusion of some IP-related issues remains under debate. The WTO Council for Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which administers the […]
Iran’s New Law On IP Protection Moves It Onto International Stage 13/06/2008 by Wagdy Sawahel for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Wagdy Sawahel for Intellectual Property Watch Iran has adopted a new law on the “registration of inventions, industrial designs and trademarks” in a bid to come to grips with the fast-paced changes in the world of trade and industry and developments in the area of intellectual property. The new law was first passed by […]
New Stirrings On EU Patent Front In The Name Of Small Business 13/06/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The ‘fragmented’ nature of Europe’s patent application system is harming small firms, a Brussels event has been told amid new efforts to harmonise it. Ever since the early 1970s, the European Community – now Union – has been discussing the possibility of introducing a single patent […]
Music Performers In US Policy Fight For Payment From Broadcasters 12/06/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment [Note: new Commerce Department letter added 16 June] By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – Performance-rights groups and broadcasters went head-to-head Wednesday as the two sides testified before the United States Congress as to whether conventional radio broadcasters should pay performance musicians if the broadcasters play their music. US lawmakers have […]
General Electric’s View On Green IP And Technology 12/06/2008 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment General Electric’s Ecomagination is an initiative launched in 2005 as a gathering/focal point for extant green technology as well as new research and development into clean technology. Ecomagination’s products include technologies for cleaner energy, notably wind turbines for collecting wind energy, photovoltaic tiles for solar energy, and a series of ‘Jenbacher’ engines using waste products […]
Panelists: Balance Needed Between Antitrust Law, Patent Quality 11/06/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – A careful balance must be struck between ensuring the quality of the United States patent system – and the patents themselves – and antitrust law to ensure that new technologies and services can be brought to market, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, experts said in Washington Monday. “Imbalance can result in less competition, less innovation,” Deborah Garza, deputy assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, said during a meeting of the Intellectual Property Owners Association.
Opponents Say Inclusion Of IP Issues Would Set Back WTO Talks 10/06/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara A small group of countries opposing the inclusion of intellectual property-related issues in World Trade Organization negotiations has issued their response to an earlier “non-paper” that had called for IP issues to be integrated with the upcoming horizontal, or all-inclusive, negotiations at the WTO. “We … wish to express our strong opposition […]
USPTO Patent Reexamination Process Is Flawed, Think Tank Says 10/06/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A United States Patent and Trademark Office procedure for third-party patent challenges is in turmoil and needs rethinking, an investigation by an independent think tank has found. Though few in number so far, inter partes reexaminations are increasingly used in conjunction with, rather than as an intended replacement for, patent infringement litigation. On top of that, the USPTO is taking years to resolve the cases, leaving business plans in disarray. The USPTO said it is working to cut delays in the system.
June Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 10/06/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter features the most important news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the IP community at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Geneva missions, regional and national IP offices, industry and non-governmental organisations, plus News Briefs on reports and events that do not […]
Reports On WTO IP Negotiations Released 09/06/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara The World Trade Organization on Monday released two reports on the state of play in negotiations on a register for geographical indications (GIs) – product names associated with places and characteristics – as well as the possible extension of the stricter protections for wines and spirits GIs to other goods, in tandem […]