US Proposes 3-Step Test For Copyright Exceptions In Trans-Pacific Trade Talks 04/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 3 July announced the proposal of a new provision for a trade agreement that will put copyright exceptions and limitations to a 3-step test. The text of the provision was not made available to the public, and reaction to the news by public interest groups has been cautious.
EU Trade Commissioner Makes Last Appeal For Delay Of ACTA Vote 03/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment EU Trade Commissioner Karl De Gucht today made a last appeal to the European Parliament today to delay the decision on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in order to allow the European Court of Justice to give its opinion. But he met with strong indications that a rejection of the controversial agreement may be coming tomorrow.
US Awards Contract For Key Internet Function To ICANN 03/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States government on 2 July announced it has awarded a contract to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to manage a key underlying function of the internet for up to 7 years.
UK Announces Updates To Copyright Licensing 02/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Kingdom government will publish draft updates to the UK copyright licensing system later this week, keeping strong criminal penalties, it said today.
Europe Reaches Agreement On Unitary Patent 29/06/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments After years of at times embarrassing political and procedural wrangling, members of the European Union today agreed to create a single patent system for 25 EU member states, including a unified patent court split between Paris, Munich and London. The decision also contains a copyright element.
US Congress Members Demand Access To TPP; ACTA Criticised In Australia 27/06/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment More than 130 members of the United States Congress have sent a letter to the US Trade Representative demanding greater access to the still-secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, while a new bill is being introduced to reform US trade policy. And another Congress member who earlier publicly leaked the intellectual property rights chapter of the agreement has sent a request to be included as a member of the US delegation to the negotiations.
UK Issues Tougher Draft Code For Online Copyright Infringement 26/06/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments United Kingdom communications regulator Ofcom today published three documents on digital copyright infringement, including a draft code requiring large internet service providers (ISPs) to inform customers of allegations that their internet connection has been used to infringe copyright, and consultations on the code and on cost-sharing.
A Bigger, Meaner Patent War 25/06/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It’s been called a patent war, and it’s raging over much of the globe. In at least ten countries – including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and South Korea – Apple is locked in ferocious legal battles against Google, Samsung and HTC over whose smartphones and tablets infringe whose patents. There’s a lot a stake: Damages could run into billions of dollars. Even worse, the loser could wind up being forbidden to sell its products in various markets. This costly, high-stakes global patent war may seem unprecedented. But according to many experts, that’s only partly true. In many ways, this patent war is similar to major patent disputes in the past. And it is likely a foretaste of more patent wars in the future.
EBU Issues Declaration On Public Service Media 22/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) today issued a declaration in support of public service media’s role in society, including as a driver of innovation and a trusted independent voice.
Internet Freedom At Home: Governments, Companies Need Accountability, Speakers Say 22/06/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The freedom to access the internet does not translate into freedom of expression in many countries of the world, including in western economies, according to speakers at a peer forum organised yesterday by the United States mission to the United Nations in Geneva.