Plurilateral Trade Agreements Lack Protections For Users, Intermediaries 27/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The role of online intermediaries in copyright enforcement is on the international negotiating table in recent plurilateral trade agreements. Those negotiating with the US would be advised to examine carefully what is being offered, writes Margot Kaminski.
Revised EPO Patent For Conventional Broccoli Has Public Interest Ramifications 27/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A patent for a conventionally bred form of the common household vegetable broccoli appears to be on its way to acceptance by the European Patent Office following a change to the patent by the company filing it, according to sources. The decision not to revoke the patent, which has been the subject of protests and now calls for action in national courts, could clear the way for hundreds of other vegetable patents to follow, a source said.
EU High Court Bans Patents On Human Embryo Stem Cells For Commerce 18/10/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Union high court today outlawed the patenting of human embryo stem cells for scientific research or commercial purposes. The decision has forced European courts to examine the “ethical boundaries of patenting,” said Greenpeace, which challenged a German patent in the case. While there are alternate methods for obtaining stem cells, the ruling will nevertheless affect some research, one patent lawyer said.
German Police Used Trojan Horses In Investigations 10/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Europe’s biggest hacker organisation, the German Chaos Computer Club (CCC), has analysed trojan horse software used by the German police to spy on suspects in several cases. In its 20-page analysis, the club revealed that the software sent to the hackers for analysis allowed police to not only listen into Skype calls, but also to control and manipulate infected machines from a command server using IP address 207.158.22.134, sitting on a server of a commercial hosting provider in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States.
With WTO Stalled, GI Industry Proponents Move To Create Their Own Register 10/10/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An international private-sector network lobbying for the protection of geographical indications is set to establish a compilation of all GIs currently protected in the world in what could seem like a response to the repeated failure of governments to agree on the establishment of a GIs register at the World Trade Organization. The Organization for an International Geographical Indications Network (OriGIn), meeting for its fifth General Assembly, also voiced concerns about the lack of protection of GIs in cyberspace.
ECJ Decision On Exclusive Broadcasting Licences Could Reach Beyond Sports 06/10/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A European Court of Justice ruling this week outlawing exclusive broadcasting licences that prohibit the supply of decoder cards to TV viewers outside the EU countries for which the licences are granted will likely affect rights holders and broadcasters of content other than sports, observers said. The decision could also have implications for European Commission attempts to update rules for digital content distribution.
EPO, European Commission Renew Commitment To Unitary Patent 06/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The head of the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services today renewed their commitment to introduce a unitary EU patent, which they say would significantly ease workloads and reduce costs for patent applicants.
Parliament Committee Urges EU Commission To Support Print Disabilities Treaty 05/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Parliament’s Petitions Committee this week issued a call for a binding treaty allowing persons with print disabilities to make accessible copies of published works and to send them across borders.
Breakthrough Gives EU Principles For Digitising Out-Of-Print Books 20/09/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Key European stakeholders have approved a “ground-breaking” set of principles for digitising and making publicly available out-of-print books and journals. The accord could serve as a template for dealing with the vexing problem of orphan works, those for whom the copyright owner cannot be found, according to International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations CEO Olav Stokkmo.
EU Extends Copyright Protection From 50 To 70 Years 12/09/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments Over the objections of eight countries, ministers from the European Union on Monday extended copyright protection for performers and record producers from 50 to 70 years. The move brought cheers from the recording industry and copyright royalty collecting societies, but doubts from some governments and jeers from a major consumer group.