Did EU Council Conclusions On IP Enforcement Overlook Patent Trolls? 16/03/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A coalition of companies holding patents in Europe has welcomed conclusions released this week by the Council of the European Union on tougher enforcement of intellectual property rights. But the group raised concern that the conclusions failed to recognise the steady rise in the EU of patent-assertion entities, or patent trolls.
Key Drug Innovations Often Don’t See Market Rewards, Academic Says 15/03/2018 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment There is little evidence that more innovative or therapeutically valuable pharmaceutical products are rewarded, or that patents are the best way to do so, Economics Professor Margaret Kyle of the Centre d’économie industrielle of Mines ParisTech says in an upcoming study for the Review of Industrial Organization.
Sir John Sulston, Human Genome Project Leader, Remembered For Words On IP And Health R&D 14/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Nobel Prize winner Sir John Sulston passed away on 6 March at the age of 75, and was widely remembered in the press and scientific circles, celebrating his research, his wisdom, and his leadership of the landmark Human Genome Project. Intellectual Property Watch recalls his visionary warning and advice a decade ago about the intellectual property system, investment, and science that is still valuable today.
Introduction Of A Grace Period In Europe 13/03/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The protection of inventions is a cornerstone to encourage innovation as engine of economic growth. As one of the world‘s leading centres for innovation, the level of scientific and technological performance in Germany is very high, thanks to an excellent research landscape and a good technological and economic basis. But the global innovation competition is intensifying, and new competitors are seeking to enter international markets. However, Germany is falling short of its potential when it comes to leveraging technology to create new products, writes Michael Kahnert.
EU Council’s IP Enforcement Changes: Judicial Systems, Customs, Open Source, WIPO – And An IP Watchlist 12/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Council of ministers today adopted a set of conclusions on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the European Union, aimed at improving protection in the digital era and promoting innovation. This includes a list of suggested actions, including possible changes to national laws and judicial systems, bolstering customs, agreements with industry, encouraging open source, strong representation at the World Intellectual Property Organization, and possibly setting up an IP watch list reminiscent of the one in the United States.
New IP-Sharing Framework To Accelerate R&D 12/03/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Pharmaceutical R&D constantly leads to the generation of new intellectual property (IP), from clinical trial data to libraries of promising compounds. Not all IP assets generated by a company are used in their future R&D. When this happens, companies can choose instead to share them with other third-party researchers, under licensing agreements. The Access to Medicine Foundation has worked with BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH) to develop a framework for identifying which IP assets are most difficult for companies to share, yet most likely to speed up R&D of the medicines and vaccines needed by people living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), write Clarke B. Cole and Katie Graef.
US Generic-Named Food Industries Cry For US Government Help Against ‘Relentlessly Aggressive’ EU 09/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Something that was unimaginable just a few years ago: What if Americans could not buy ordinary bologna, feta or parmesan cheese? Or worse, make them and export them under those names? The industry group in the United States representing a range of products like those today called on the US government to help them defend their products and their jobs against what they called “purposeful,” “relentless” and “aggressive” efforts by Europe to promote adoption of geographical indications (products named for places and with particular characteristics) to the detriment of the US common-named goods.
Council Of Europe Agrees New Guidelines On Media Pluralism, Transparency Of Media Ownership 07/03/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Strasbourg, France-based Council of Europe today adopted a recommendation containing a range of guidelines aimed at managing the effects of modern technology on the media sector and media pluralism. The recommendation sets out a comprehensive framework of guidelines for a “pluralist, transparent and participatory” media environment, online and offline.
Council Of Europe Adopts Guidelines On Role Of Internet Intermediaries 07/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Council of Europe today adopted a set of recommendations containing some 60 detailed obligations and suggestions for governments to ensure internet intermediaries, such as search engines and social media, uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms online.
EPO Reports Record Volume Of Patents, Seeks To Assure Quality 07/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Patent Office today issued statistics which it claimed show the continued ascendance of Europe as a premier destination for patenting, not only from European countries. The statistics focus strongly on the increased volume of patents filed and granted, which it argued is a result of the office’s focus on “efficiency and quality” and a boost to innovation.