A Clatch Of Copyright Cases At The Supreme Court of Canada 06/12/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A “clatch” is another word for “brood”, which is a not inappropriate word in the present circumstances – considering that Canada’s highest court will hear five (yes, five!) cases on December 6 and 7, 2011 that all emanate from Canada’s Copyright Board, writes Howard Knopf.
WIPO Sees Progress On Broadcaster Rights, Library Exceptions; Treaty For Blind Readers Slips 05/12/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments In what was termed a “marathon” session at the outset, World Intellectual Property Organization members took up a large number of copyright-related topics over the past two weeks with varying results. By the late-night end, an audiovisual treaty was on track, exceptions for libraries and a draft broadcasters’ treaty had new life, IP enforcement was going strong, but a draft treaty for print-disabled readers was unravelled.
Lines Of Global Enforcement Debate Surface At WIPO Meeting 05/12/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Leading debates surrounding global efforts to stop counterfeiting and piracy of intellectual property rights-protected goods and services came into full view at the recent meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization enforcement committee. In that debate, a long list of civil society groups has raised concern about WIPO enforcement activities.
WIPO To Negotiate Audiovisual Treaty In Beijing In Summer 2012 02/12/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization have agreed to hold highest level negotiations on a treaty to protect audiovisual performers’ rights in the summer of 2012 in Beijing, China.
EU Picks Up Pace On Copyright Licensing, Private Copying, Unitary Patent 30/11/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment European efforts to resolve three vexing intellectual property issues – copyright licensing, private copying levies and a unified system for granting and litigating patents – are gaining pace in the public and private sectors and could bear fruit next year.
European Court Of Justice Rules Out Mandatory Filtering Systems At Intermediaries 25/11/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In what is seen by many as a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg on Thursday ruled that an injunction obliging an internet service provider to install a filtering system to prevent peer-to-peer copyright violations on its network would violate European law.
“Marathon” WIPO Copyright Session Opens With Hopes, Treaty Prospects 22/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Officials from around the world have gathered for the next two weeks at the World Intellectual Property Organization in hopes of resolving the fate of several longstanding copyright policies under debate. The hope of many is that by the end of the copyright committee meeting starting yesterday, WIPO members will be on track to treaties or instruments on audiovisual performances, limitations and exceptions for print-disabled readers and for libraries and archives, and on broadcasters’ rights. And serious negotiations have already begun.
EU’s Kroes Calls For New Thinking On Copyright System 21/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, has issued a call for new thinking beyond old business models as a way to incentivize creativity in Europe.
Filtering and Blocking Closer To The Core Of The Internet? 20/11/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments With protests against draft US legislation like the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act ongoing and the European Parliament voting on 17 November for a resolution to request that the United States should be “refraining from unilateral measures to revoke IP addresses or domain names,” politicians are talking a lot about technology for the internet domain name system. But at the same time, engineers are getting more political and are intensively discussing technology providing the tools for blocking – by governments and private parties.
Barrage Of Doubts Voiced On US Internet Piracy Bill 16/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments An international outcry from open internet proponents has emerged over draft US legislation, HR 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), on the eve of a hearing on the bill. International critics say the bill would put the United States on the same ground as China with regards to internet filtering, undermining the US argument for internet freedom.