Avancées significatives pour l’ACTA 11/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par Liza Porteus Viana pour Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – Des représentants des milieux industriels et de gouvernements ont appelé lundi à la ratification d’un traité international de lutte contre la contrefaçon et proposé une série de nouvelles stratégies destinées à endiguer le trafic de produits piratés. Ont été évoqués en particulier les risques […]
Sectores empresarial y gubernamental consideran que hay impulso para el ACTA, pero UE pone trabas 11/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Liza Porteus Viana para Intellectual Property Watch NUEVA YORK – Algunos dirigentes empresariales y funcionarios de gobierno instaron el lunes pasado a que se ratifique un tratado internacional contra la falsificación y propusieron diversas estrategias nuevas destinadas a poner freno a los productos pirateados que, según afirman, no sólo perjudican a las economías de […]
Complaint Lodged Over EU Parliament’s Exclusive Use Of Microsoft Systems 06/03/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – A formal complaint has been lodged with the European Parliament over how its information technology systems rely almost exclusively on software manufactured by Microsoft. Advocates of open standard software, which is developed on a not-for-profit basis, allege that the Seattle-based giant enjoys an effective monopoly or […]
Business, Governments See Momentum For ACTA, But EU Snags 04/03/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – Business leaders and some global government officials on Monday urged ratification of a global anti-counterfeiting treaty and proposed a series of new strategies aimed at curbing pirated goods they say not only harm developed and developing countries’ economies, but their citizens’ health as well. Meanwhile, European Union participation in the negotiations has come into question, and non-governmental critics have raised concerns about the need for a treaty and the inclusiveness of the negotiations.
German High Court Defines New “IT Basic Law” Curbing Online Searches 01/03/2008 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch MUNICH – Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court this week decided that infiltration of personal computers, laptops or other information technology devices of possible suspects by law enforcement violates the basic right of “confidentiality and integrity of IT systems.” In defining confidentiality and integrity of IT systems, the German judges […]
Standards Body Weighs Microsoft’s Competing Format For Document Sharing 27/02/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Kaitlin Mara Public and private-sector representatives from thirty-seven nations are in Geneva this week for a five-day closed-door meeting to try to resolve editing suggestions on a recently proposed document format that if accepted as a standard could impact file-sharing worldwide. At issue is what has become a hotly contested fight over a proposed […]
European Carmakers Use Home Courts To Block Alleged Chinese Copies 20/02/2008 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch European carmakers are turning to European courts to urge enforcement of their intellectual property rights against Chinese firms, and they have a good chance of prevailing, legal experts say. At issue are car models that European manufacturers Daimler, BMW, and Fiat say are made-in-China replicas of their models.
European Commission Seeks Copyright Extension, New Levy Debate 14/02/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch In a flurry of intellectual property-related activity Thursday, the European Commission proposed extending copyright protection for performers from 50 to 95 years, resurrected debate on the contentious issue of copyright levies on blank media, and ranked member states on their innovativeness. At a Brussels press conference, Internal Market […]
Policymaking On Trade And IP Faces Mixed Prospects In 2008 13/02/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch With America’s political elite fixated on the race for the White House, the likelihood that the world’s most powerful country will make much progress during 2008 in free trade negotiations with other nations appears slim. Across the Atlantic, however, European Union officials have indicated they will be vigorous in insisting that high standards for protecting intellectual property are upheld as universally as possible. Numerous other bilateral talks are ongoing around the world as well. And attention may be drawn from the longstanding trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization.
EU: Microsoft Raised IP Rights As Late Defence In European Case 12/02/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Commission has accused Microsoft of invoking intellectual property rights “in the eleventh hour” to protect its dominant position in the global computer market. Per Hellstrom, a senior official in the Commission’s directorate-general for competition, indicated on Monday that the European Union’s antitrust efforts against […]