TPP Article 14.17 & Free Software: No Harm, No Foul 24/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [Software Freedom Law Center, Link (CC-BY-SA)] The first official public release of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (known universally as the TPP) on November 5, 2015 generated much heated speculation. The ideal of “open agreements, openly arrived at” remains regrettably unattainable in international affairs. “Fast track” trade negotiating authority in the US means that parties excluded from the negotiating process have a short time in which to mobilize for or against the treaty as a whole in light of their specific concerns. The premium on speed of response to a very lengthy and complex legal document—and the presence of intense public attention—guarantees that hasty judgment and occasional self-promotion will always outrun professional analysis; this is one of the inherent defects of secret legislation.
A User-Focused Commentary On The TPP ISP Safe Harbors 24/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Annemarie Bridy writes: Section J of the Trans-Pacific Partnership’s IP chapter, on ISP safe harbors, looks a lot like Section 512 of the DMCA [US Digital Millennium Copyright Act], but the two frameworks differ in some important respects that could negatively impact the global environment for user speech online. This post offers a comparison of Section J and Section 512 with a focus on the rights of users and the status of user expression in the TPP’s intermediary safe harbor provisions.
WIPO Committee On IP Enforcement Beats Drum Of Awareness 24/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The enforcement of intellectual property rights is a challenge in particular because of the lack of awareness of the consequences of infringement, said several speakers at the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement this week.
US, China Talk Standards & IP, Trade Secrets, GIs, Broadcasting, Enforcement 24/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 26th United States-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting was held from 21-23 November, and covered a wide range of intellectual property-related areas, including standards and IP, trade secrets, geographical indications, sports broadcasting, enhanced enforcement against media boxes and unauthorised content providers, and online enforcement.
Medicines Patent Pool: First Licence Agreement For Hepatitis C Drug 23/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Medicines Patent Pool announced today that it signed a first licence for a hepatitis C drug with Bristol-Myers Squibb. The agreement allows manufacturing of daclatasvir, royalty-free in 112 low-and middle-income countries.
WIPO Deputy Director For Copyright Resigns 23/11/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization Deputy Director General responsible for copyright, Anne Leer, has decided to resign her post, citing personal reasons.
WTO Committee Agrees To Keep IP From Non-Violation Complaints Until 2017 23/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Today, the World Trade Organisation intellectual property committee agreed on a recommendation to extend until 2017 a moratorium shielding intellectual property from a mechanism through which one WTO member can go after another member even in the absence of WTO rules infringement.
Is The Internet Of Things (IoT) Really New Or Simply Recycled? 23/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments There is a lot of hype around the Internet of Things (IoT) yet many, if not most, are confused by what IoT really is and what it means for their IP and their business. In fact, some people claim that the IoT is simply a matter of applying existing technology to new applications. Many companies new to the IoT market may have strong and expansive portfolio positions for assertion. This makes it difficult at best to discern whether or not IoT inventions are really new or just recycled technology. If you are a new player in the IoT market, you most likely will be filing patent applications for new innovations; however, since IoT is being built on established technology, you need to be aware that there are hundreds of technology companies that may already own the seminal foundation patents.
Nigeria Prepares To Revamp Its Copyright System For The Digital Age 22/11/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Draft rules updating Nigeria’s copyright law regime are expected to be submitted to Parliament in 2016, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Regulatory Department Head Michael Akpan has said. While the provisions have already been thoroughly vetted by stakeholders during consultations, several are likely to be challenged, he told Intellectual Property Watch. [Updated]
ECJ: Topographic Maps, Geographical Information And The Interpretation Of “Independent Material” 20/11/2015 by Marie Barani for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling on 29 October related to the definition of a “database,” more especially of the “independent material” constituting a database.