Piracy, Innovation Top Developed-Country Industry Priority List 26/01/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Companies from the wealthiest nations continue to view a clampdown on theft of their intellectual property rights as key to improving their economic performance, and are targeting the largest developing countries in their effort. To their aid comes the World Intellectual Property Organization and others, with a conference next week in Geneva […]
Fair Use, Broadcast Protections Global Copyright Priorities This Year 25/01/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch While antipiracy initiatives and updated broadcasting protections remain dominant themes for government and industry this year, 2007 also could usher in an expansion of user rights as well, according to sources. In the United States and perhaps worldwide, the focus appears to be on fair use or fair dealing, said DowLohnes intellectual property attorney James Burger. Outside the US, it is taking the form of legislation clarifying or expanding private use of copyrighted material, he said, while internally, “the personal use issue is more likely to find its challenge in the judicial system.”
Patent Reform, Copyright Enforcement Are Key European IP Issues for 2007 16/01/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Last year saw the apparent demise of two hotly contested European Union intellectual property policy proposals, the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) and consideration of a pan-European copyright levy on blank audiovisual media. This year could prove a bit quieter, although a European Commission plan to criminalise some IP infringements may prove no less controversial.
Patent Reform On US Senate Agenda; US Officials Question French Copyright Law 14/12/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New As the year end draws near, United States government officials are marking the ground for international intellectual property debates to come in 2007. On 13 December, Senator Patrick Leahy, incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee released his committee’s agenda for next year. He said he would prioritize updating of the US […]
Key Report Urges UK Government To Boost IP Enforcement and Fair Use Rights 08/12/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch An independent study of Britain’s intellectual property framework has found it essentially sound but in need of changes at the national and international levels. Many of its 54 recommendations appear uncontroversial, but several copyright proposals are already sparking debate, and the report could have European-wide or even worldwide […]
Germany Still Seeking Balance In Copyright Policy 04/12/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch A series of five recent hearings in the Justice Committee of the German Parliament have revealed deep rifts over the second part of Germany’s copyright law reform. This so-called “second basket” deals with adaptations of copyright law to the digital age after a “first basket” from 2003 aimed […]
Governments Eye DRM Interoperability Rules As Consumers Vent Over Access 04/12/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch LONDON – Increasing consumer demand for accessing online content anytime, anywhere is politicizing copyright, speakers said last week at the Digital Hollywood Europe conference here. Frustration over restrictive and incompatible digital rights management (DRM) systems and consumer electronics devices has risen to the point where governments are beginning […]
Mixed Reactions To Leaked Section Of Key UK IP Report 29/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen While the music industry said it is a “big disappointment” that the United Kingdom will not extend copyright protection to sound recordings beyond its current 50 years as stated in a leaked section of a draft government-commissioned report, those in favour of content entering the public domain welcomed it. The […]
EU TV Without Frontiers Directive Still A Lobbyist Target But May End Up A ‘Soup Hen’ 22/11/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch In the second week of December, the European Parliament will hear the first reading of the “modernised” Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF) that will stretch into the world of online content – hence to become the Audiovisual Media Directive. The directive is intended to adapt European Union-wide rules […]
Draft EU-Caribbean Agreement Shows Escalated IP Provisions 17/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A new “non-paper” by the European Communities on the economic partnership agreement under negotiation with 15 Caribbean countries shows an elevation of intellectual property standards above global trade rules. The new draft text prepared for the next round of negotiations and obtained by Intellectual Property Watch, appears to show the European Commission nudging the 15 nations of the Caribbean Forum of ACP States (CARIFORUM) to adopt standards that exceed the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The draft text of the intellectual property sections, available to IP-Watch Monthly Subscribers, contains suggestions for the adoption of provisions based on the European Union enforcement directive, which has been criticised by some as overly restrictive. The text also refers to a range of treaties negotiated at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that are not required by TRIPS, including the so-called 1996 WIPO “Internet treaties” on performers and producers, as well as copyrights on the Internet. The draft treaty also has additional provisions on copyrights, patents, trademarks and Internet domain name processes, and the extension of additional protection for geographical indications. These are product names derived from specific geographical regions. Caribbean countries have long had special trade treatment with Europe. Negotiations to alter the relationship through an Economic Partnership Agreement were launched in 2004. The sides are working under a deadline of mid-2007 to replace the Coutonou agreement which was found to be inconsistent with WTO rules. The countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions, which were collectively in an agreement with the European Union have been now separated by region. CARIFORUM members include: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. William New may be reached at wnew@ip-watch.ch.