Diplomatic Arm-Wrestling Over Scope Of International Telecommunication Regulations Treaty 30/04/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments As the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) treaty comes under review, some observers are warning that it could change the rules of the game in internet governance. Others are trying to give reassurance that the new ITRs aim at enabling better access to telecommunications everywhere.
ACTA In Parliament: Kill Or Repair? 28/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Opponents and proponents of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in the European Parliament have positioned themselves in meetings of several committees preparing opinions.
Global Internet Governance: From Multistakeholder To Autopilot 27/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In recent decades, far-reaching international cooperation has led to the development of global multistakeholder governance of the internet. While efforts to further enhance cooperative mechanisms are ongoing, one business leader with an inside track suggests that in a couple of decades, the internet will be governing itself.
Day Marked By Initiatives On The Benefits Of IP, Open Technology 26/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property rights have been around for centuries in some cultures, but in recent decades have taken off as a global set of rules, bringing with it many business opportunities and policy concerns. Today, on the annual day designated for the celebration of IP rights, some new industry and civil society initiatives were launched and several gatherings in praise of IP were held.
Top Internet Experts Debate IP And Digital Content; WIPO A Balancing Mechanism, Gurry Says 25/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property was identified at this week’s Global INET conference as one of the most complex issues in the public policy debate related to the internet. With creative works abundantly available to copy, share, mashup and distribute, managing IP rights, obligations and limitations has never before been so complicated and controversial.
Book Offers Timely Insights On IP, Drugs And Public Health In Developing Countries 25/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent book comes in time for the international policy debates coming to a head over access to medicines, intellectual property rights and public health in developing countries.
Global Internet Conference Opens With An Air Of Possibility 24/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Maintaining openness and promoting access were two major themes that emerged during the Global INET conference opening session yesterday. A panel of key internet actors gave their perspectives on the past, present and future of the internet, in line with the conference theme, “Meeting at the Crossroads: Imagining the Future of the Internet.”
“Entrenched Anti-Consumer Bias” Found In Copyright Laws; Creators Launch Petition For Better Contracts 23/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A major consumer group today released the results of its annual survey of 30 countries’ copyright laws and concluded that bias against consumers in favour of multinational copyright holders is “entrenched” and that there is a “global outcry” about overly strong copyright enforcement legislation. Meanwhile, international journalists groups joined songwriters, composers, film directors, screenwriters, illustrators, photographers and visual authors across Europe today to launch a public campaign “to bring an end to the unfair contractual practices facing creators.”
Internet Visionaries Convene In Geneva To Discuss Future Of The Web 22/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 2012 Global INET Forum is uniting some of the architects and builders behind the internet with the industry leaders and policymakers who are shaping it today in an event taking place in Geneva from 22-24 April.
The WHO’s Final Sprint Toward An International Convention On R&D 20/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An international convention on research and development for neglected diseases has never been so closely within reach. A World Health Organization expert group is recommending the implementation of a legally binding instrument to secure new sources of funding to spur health research in areas where the current system has failed.