European Commission Urged To Fix EU Law Before Addressing IPR Protections In Third Countries 09/03/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Efforts to revamp protection for and enforcement of intellectual property rights in non-EU countries are welcome, but the European Commission should get Europe’s IPR house in order first, a new draft report by the European Parliament International Trade (INTA) Committee says. Meanwhile, internal IPR reform is advancing on several fronts, said the EC, which gave Intellectual Property Watch an update on the various measures.
In TPP, USTR Seeks To Boost Criminal Remedies Against IP Infringement 08/03/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments United States trade negotiators are seeking to set a “new regional standard” against intellectual property infringement in the Pacific region with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. And among the new tools it is seeking is to boost governments’ ability to criminalise IP infringement based on government information as well as that of rights holders, a US trade official said this week.
Revolving Chairs In The IP World: People Shift Positions. But Interests? Not So Much 06/03/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A lot has happened among the global intellectual property community over the past months. Beyond the usual shifts in law offices, many key positions have either changed hands or been filled. For example, the European commissioners changed, and the United States nominated a new “piracy czar” and a new head of the US Patent and Trademark Office. The International Telecommunication Union, UNITAID and other organisations have new heads. And the World Intellectual Property Organization has a new top management team. Non-governmental organisations and the private sector also saw a lot of movement in recent months, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, the International Trademark Association, the International Publishers Association, and the Motion Picture Association of America. In this article, we take the opportunity to catch up. Here is a look at some of the changes.
Annual USTR Notorious Markets Report Points Fingers, Includes Domain Registrars For First Time 06/03/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The fifth annual Office of the United States Trade Representative review of “notorious” intellectual property infringing markets has been released, pointing out the world’s biggest problem commercial-scale markets. And for the first time, the report takes aim at internet domain name registrars.
EU IP Policy Proposals, Initiatives Come Clear At 20th European IP Forum 04/03/2015 by Magda Voltolini for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment PARIS – A recent gathering of IP owners, lawyers and government officials explored strategies and potential policies to fight counterfeiting and piracy.
USPTO Acting Director Discusses Patent Quality, Pendency, Harmonisation 03/03/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At today’s meeting of the “trilateral offices” – the United States, Europe and Japan – Deputy Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office Michelle Lee gave an update of USPTO activities, including improvements in patent quality, patent pendency, and discussions about patent harmonisation.
Brazil’s Internet Legal Framework Regulation And Draft Bill For Privacy Law Public Consultation 03/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment On 28 January 2015, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice launched public consultations involving two key pieces of legislation, namely: the decree that will regulate the Marco Civil da Internet or the Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet (the “Internet Legal Framework”); and the Draft Bill for the Protection of Personal Data (“Draft Bill”). A consultation period is being conducted in relation to these two laws via online platforms set up by the government.
EPO Hits New Record In Patent Filings; US, China Rise 03/03/2015 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – In 2014, patent filings at the European Patent Office (EPO) reached an all-time high, as announced by EPO President Benoît Battistelli last week at the traditional Annual Results Press Conference. Among key patenting trends were figures revealing strong growth in filings from the United States and China.
The Legal Implications Of Medicinal Marijuana As A Geographical Indication For Jamaica 02/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Although there are ongoing negotiations to revise the Lisbon Agreement for the international recognition of GIs, there is currently no uniform reciprocal legal recognition for non-wine and spirit GIs in international jurisdictions. Jamaica’s Cannabis (hereafter marijuana), is identified by its government as one of the country’s products which is domestically GI registrable, writes Marsha Cadogan.
Design Law Seminar In Geneva Discusses Current Issues And Concerns 02/03/2015 by Elena Bourtchouladze for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Experts gathered in Geneva recently to discuss current issues and future developments in the protection of industrial designs and its importance, and give practical advice on suitable ways to protect and enforce the design rights.