Questions Arise Over EU Draft Regulation To Implement Nagoya Protocol 03/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission has prepared a draft regulation to implement an international protocol to prevent biopiracy, leading two non-governmental organisations to publish an opinion piece voicing concerns about it. The European Parliament is scheduled to review the draft on 4 July. A key concern is whether it would cover non-European genetic resources already in European collections.
German Parliament Passes Changes To National Copyright Law 02/07/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The German Parliament on 27-28 June passed several changes to German copyright law and introduced limits and a financial cap on how much lawyers can charge for notices against file-sharers.
Over 50 Countries Sign Marrakesh Treaty On Copyright Exceptions And Limitations For The Blind 01/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Marrakesh, Morocco – The 28 June signing of the new international treaty to improve access to published materials for the visually impaired brought relief to the beneficiaries and satisfaction to delegations. But some underlined the need to sign and ratify the new treaty.
Alongside Celebration Of New Treaty In Marrakesh, Blind People Demonstrate For Jobs 27/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As World Intellectual Property Organization delegates were giving their closing statements after today’s adoption of the Marrakesh treaty for the blind that some called a miracle, just outside the door of the Palais des Congrès, a large group of blind people was demonstrating to bring attention to their need for employment.
Copyright Levies Can Be Imposed On Sale Of Printers, Computers, EU High Court Rules 27/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Governments can impose copyright levies on sales of printers and computers, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said in a 27 June ruling.
WIPO Treaty For The Blind Shows That Transparency Can Work (And Is Necessary) 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Prof. Sean Flynn writes that the transparency in the breakthrough agreement on an international treaty for the visually impaired in Morocco is a lesson for trade negotiators who encounter difficulties after keeping trade agreement texts secret until negotiations are over, such as in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).
2013 Internet Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Internet Society (ISOC) today announced the names of 32 individuals who have made significant contributions to the web for induction into the 2013 Internet Hall of Fame.
Publishers Urge European Commission To Reject Google’s Competition Proposal 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hundreds of European publishers have issued a call for the European Commission to reject draft remedies put forward by Google to settle concerns about market dominance in web searching and search advertising.
UNAIDS Reports Sharp Drop In New HIV Infections In Some African Countries 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Since 2009, seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reduced new HIV infections among children by 50 percent, and others have made significant progress, according to a new report by UNAIDS. But efforts in some countries have stalled, it said.
Special Report: European Dialogue On Internet Governance: Regulating Cyberspace After Prism? 24/06/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Lisbon, Portugal – The surveillance affair around the US Prism programme left its mark on the 2013 European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) in Lisbon last week. Legal experts at the sixth edition of the European version of the Internet Governance Forum pondered possible legal reactions, companies revealed as targets or (unwilling) partners of the programme tried to limit the damage, while Swedish ambassador Olaf Ehrenkrona admitted that state surveillance programs need to be reconsidered given the ease of mass surveillance in the era of a public internet space.