UK IP Minister Lammy Backs EU Release Of ACTA Text 17/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment David Lammy, United Kingdom Minister for Intellectual Property, today said the UK supports the European Union’s position that the text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) should be made public. “The UK has long been in favour of greater transparency in the ACTA negotiations, so I am very pleased that EU has now agreed that […]
Lamy: IP Gaps “Illuminated,” But Not Narrower 16/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy has announced to member states that governments’ differences on two key intellectual property issues have been “better illuminated” by an ongoing informal consultation process, though he added, “I would not say that the gaps are narrower.” Lamy has been meeting with a small group of countries over the […]
Brazil Starts Public Consult On Retaliation Against US IP Rights 15/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Brazilian government today announced the start of a process of public consultation on suspension of concessions or obligations of intellectual property rights from the United States. The government on 15 March published a resolution of the Chamber of External Trade (CAMEX) launching the consultation, according to a Brazilian government press release. This follows a […]
AIDS Patients Protest EU-India Trade Agreement 12/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Patients with HIV/AIDS today protested in New Delhi against negotiations for a European Union-India free trade agreement that they say will restrict access to cheaper versions of critical medicines in developing countries. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors without Borders) said in a statement that India is the source of more than 90 percent of […]
European Generics Industry Calls For “Urgent Patent Reform” 11/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment “Competition and real innovation” will be increasingly difficult if the patent system in Europe is not reformed, the European Generic Medicines Association (EGA) said today at its “Legal Affairs Forum,” which took place on 11 March. The European Patent Office must “look to improve the quality of patent examinations and applications and accelerate examination and […]
ITU: ICT Regulation Can Be Economic Stimulus 09/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) today released an annual report on information and communications technologies that prompted it to push governments to support continued investment in network rollouts and technology upgrades while pursuing regulations that support still-growing demand for mobile and broadband services. ITU issued its 10th edition of Trends in Telecommunication Reform, […]
Brazil Issues US Retaliation List; Open To Talk 08/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Today the Brazilian government published a list of US goods that will be subject to higher import taxes when entering Brazil, according to a press release. This follows a WTO dispute settlement decision giving Brazil the authorisation to suspend Brazil’s concessions and other obligations in the WTO towards the US which was found in violation […]
WTO GIs Group Continues Work On Topic “Clusters” 05/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization group tasked with negotiating an international register for geographical indications (product names associated with a particular place and characteristics) on wines and spirits will continue to discuss a set of questions and principles about the GI register. The group met yesterday in a formal Special Session. But positions of member states […]
EFF, 7,000 Petitioners Urge FCC To Protect Net Neutrality 04/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Electronic Frontier Foundation yesterday submitted a petition to the United States Federal Communications Commission demanding the FCC fill a loophole in its internet regulations that could allow for internet filtering of allegedly copyright infringing content. The petition accompanies a more extensive set of comments [pdf] on proposed FCC rules on internet neutrality, also sent […]
Court Finds German Data Retention Law Unconstitutional 02/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch The German Constitutional Court today declared German data retention legislation a violation of the fundamental right to privacy of correspondence and telecommunication (Article 10 of the German constitution). The law that is a transposition of the EU data retention directive from 2006 therefore is null and void, said […]