Turning Points Ahead For WTO Geographical Indications, Biodiversity? 12/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The coming months could spell changes in the long-running World Trade Organization talks on creating a register for wines and spirits geographical indications and amending WTO rules to better protect biodiversity rights. Developed countries that have been blocking progress on the issues for years may be pushed at a political level, according to some sources.
EU Says GI Products Would Benefit Asian Poor In Renewing IP Assistance 12/06/2009 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments BANGKOK – The European Union told Asian countries Thursday that protecting geographical indications of their products would benefit their poor, rural people as the EU is offering to renew its intellectual property cooperation with regional countries with GI enforcement as a greater element.
French Revolution Meets Information Revolution In Setback For HADOPI Law 11/06/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The French Constitutional Council on Wednesday decided that two articles of a newly passed law creating a graduated punishment mechanism for alleged copyright infringement on the internet did not comply with the French Constitution. The government has options to proceed with changes reflecting the setback to the so-called HADOPI law.
Copyright Holders Acknowledge Losing Battle For Public Consciousness At World Copyright Summit 11/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 34 Comments WASHINGTON, DC – Copyright holders on Wednesday acknowledged they have done a poor job of countering the “anti-copyright” lobby and demonstrating the creative community’s value to the world.
Panel: EU Accord Threatens India; World Customs Body Scales Back IP Enforcement 11/06/2009 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – India’s status as a top world supplier of generic medicines could be threatened by a free trade agreement its government is negotiating with the European Union, a new study has concluded. Separately, the World Customs Organization has abandoned its intellectual property rights enforcement group, replacing it with a non-policymaking information committee.
Heated Debates Over US-Free Internet 10/06/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Warnings about a possible split of the single root zone underlying the global internet have been made by internet governance experts outside the United States following a hearing of the US congressional Subcommittee on Communication Technologies and the Internet on the future of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the internet’s technical […]
French Minister Says HADOPI Law A 21st Century Reality 10/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments WASHINGTON, DC – France’s “three strikes” law is both “ambitious” and “realistic,” French culture and communication minister Christine Albanel told a conference Tuesday, and anyone who thinks the internet can be a lawless arena where anything goes is “in the wrong century.” Also at the conference, predictions were made on US legislation on patent reform, performance rights and other issues.
Generic Drug Delay Called “Systemic” Problem At TRIPS Council 09/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Seizures of legal generic drugs was the focus of heated discussion Monday at the World Trade Organization Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), raising questions about the implementation of enforcement measures in the European Union.
Council Of Europe: Access To Internet Is A Fundamental Right 08/06/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments What applies offline is also valid online – an argument often used against internet communication by legislators – has been turned around to underline fundamental rights on the internet in a new resolution of the Council of Europe.
UN-Led Commission Sees Needs In Internet Governance, Science, Technology 08/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A commission under the United Nations charged with monitoring progress in improving science and technology in places where access is difficult and capacity to use that access scarce, concluded its recent annual meeting with draft resolutions on internet and society and on development and science. One notes that there is still much work to be done to bridge the ‘digital divide’ that creates disparities in access to information technology and knowledge in the world; the other calls on governments and UN institutions to find innovative ways to support innovative capacity.