US Proposes 3-Step Test For Copyright Exceptions In Trans-Pacific Trade Talks 04/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 3 July announced the proposal of a new provision for a trade agreement that will put copyright exceptions and limitations to a 3-step test. The text of the provision was not made available to the public, and reaction to the news by public interest groups has been cautious.
EU Trade Commissioner Makes Last Appeal For Delay Of ACTA Vote 03/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment EU Trade Commissioner Karl De Gucht today made a last appeal to the European Parliament today to delay the decision on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in order to allow the European Court of Justice to give its opinion. But he met with strong indications that a rejection of the controversial agreement may be coming tomorrow.
US Congress Members Demand Access To TPP; ACTA Criticised In Australia 27/06/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment More than 130 members of the United States Congress have sent a letter to the US Trade Representative demanding greater access to the still-secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, while a new bill is being introduced to reform US trade policy. And another Congress member who earlier publicly leaked the intellectual property rights chapter of the agreement has sent a request to be included as a member of the US delegation to the negotiations.
US-EU Transatlantic Trade Deal Would Skip IPRs 21/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 15 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday released an interim report with the European Union on ways to expand transatlantic trade and investment. But apparently this would not including trying to bridge differences on intellectual property rights.
Unprecedented Vote: EU Parliament Trade Committee Rejects ACTA 21/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments In an unprecedented move, the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) today in Brussels passed a report recommending the rejection of the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Never before has INTA voted to reject a trade agreement negotiated by the Union.
Canada, Mexico Tilt Weight West In Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks 20/06/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A complex trade negotiation among several countries bordering the Pacific Ocean just got more weighted toward the west as Canada and Mexico joined their North American partner the United States in the talks. They may also infuse new energy into the talks, which are about to enter their 13th round, but may make intellectual property demands tougher to achieve.
On Eve Of Protests: Watch ACTA Debate With Key Parliament Members 08/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the eve of the 9 June Europe-wide protests against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), journalist Jennifer Baker of IDG met with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Christian Engström (Pirate Party) & Niccolo Rinaldi (ALDE) to discuss the current state of affairs with regard to the ACTA. Watch the video.
US Legal Academics Call For Congressional Review Of ACTA 18/05/2012 by Nancy Situ for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An open letter was sent yesterday from 50 American legal academics encouraging members of the United States Senate Finance Committee to exercise their Constitutional responsibility to ensure that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is treated as a binding international agreement requiring legislative ratification and sent to Senate for approval.
Call For Transparency In The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiation 10/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In this post, three US law professors explain a recent call by over 30 legal scholars for the US Trade Representative to increase transparency for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement intellectual property chapter, and their response to Ambassador Kirk’s response that he is “strongly offended” by the suggestion that the negotiation is not adequately transparent already.
German Ministry Advises Developing Countries Not To Sign ACTA 08/05/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) advises developing countries against signing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, BMZ official Frank Schmiedchen said during a meeting of the Committee of Petitions of the German Parliament today.