UN Meeting Looks At Legally Binding Instrument On Corporations And Human Rights 24/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A gathering at the United Nations in Geneva this week is hearing a litany of views on a prospective legally binding international instrument to regulate within human rights law the activities of transnational corporations and other businesses. The meeting is being webcast live.
US Copyright Office: Pallante Resigns; Search On For New Register [Updated] 24/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The United States Copyright Office Register of Copyrights Maria Pallante has changed roles to become senior advisor for digital strategy. In her place, Karyn Temple Claggett will move up to serve as acting register of copyrights while a search is conducted for the next permanent register.
Report: IP Rights, Corporate Interests Threaten Small Farmers’ Right To Seeds, Biodiversity 24/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new report by civil society groups defending the right to food and nutrition lays bare threats to seeds and biodiversity created by intellectual property rights, and calls for states to respect their human right obligations to protect small farmers’ right to seeds and food security.
US High Court Puts Unreasonable Delay On Trial 21/10/2016 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On its face, the case is a humdrum, procedural dispute about a patentee’s delay in filing an infringement suit. But if the Supreme Court rules the way most experts expect, the decision will significantly enhance the power of patent trolls and others alleging patent infringement, and it will harm many companies doing business in the US – especially companies in the tech sector. Much hangs in the balance on 1 November, when the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in SCA Hygiene Products AG v. First Quality Baby Products, LLC.
Industry Contributions, Benefit Sharing, Virus Genetic Data Discussed By WHO Flu Experts 21/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The group of experts tasked to monitor the World Health Organization pandemic influenza framework met this week with discussions on the partnership contributions that industry is expected to provide to the system, and how influenza viruses’ genetic sequence data should be handled in the context of the framework.
Freedom Of Expression Under Attack, Says UN Special Rapporteur 21/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Governments worldwide are engaging in censorship and punishing those who report or post opinions, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, says in a report on the widespread global assault on the freedom of expression to be presented to the UN General Assembly today.
US, India Trade Ministers Agree List Of IP Enforcement Actions For India, USTR Says 20/10/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Trade Representative Michael Froman and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman met in Delhi today and discussed various bilateral issues including intellectual property rights. Based on the release from the meeting, it appears much of the IP focus was on tasks for India to do to better protect IP rights.
Citizens’ Summit Contra CETA: It’s Not Only Wallonia 20/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With the vote on the European Union-Canada trade agreement (CETA) on the agenda once more at the upcoming EU Council meeting tomorrow the representatives of European and Canadian cities and regions gathered at Brussels today for a “CETA Citizens’ Summit.” Gerardo Pisarello, vice mayor of the city of Barcelona, said that cities like his see CETA as a barrier to their plans to remunicipalize water and energy services and the attempts “to open up public procurement to small companies and cooperatives.”
Trump Silence On IP Policy Leaves Rights Owners Baffled 20/10/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 18 Comments While US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has published detailed positions on intellectual property, technology transfer and trade, Republican candidate Donald Trump has limited his comments to trade reform and alleged Chinese IP theft. The policy vacuum has left the IP community not only uncertain of Trump’s intentions but unable even to find the right people to ask, one IP attorney said. [Note: story updated with a comment about IP made by Trump]
Special Report: IP And Competition Law – Opposing Forces Or Partners For Consumer Welfare? 20/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property and competition authorities should collaborate, but other institutions should also have their say, such as health ministries, speakers said at a United Nations meeting of experts this week. And guidelines should be provided to judges in the difficult task of determining whether IP rights monopolies impede on competition, they said. This special report takes a deeper look at IPRs, competition, and differing economies.