Tech Industry Raises Concern Over Protect IP Act 14/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Several US trade associations representing the high-tech and communications industries raised concerns this week about a bill in Congress that would boost the US government’s ability to take down websites over fears of intellectual property infringement. The tech industry groups said the bill could have a negative impact on the economy and jobs, they said.
US IP Rights Holders Hail New FTAs With Colombia, Panama, Korea 13/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Groups representing intellectual property rights holders in the United States are hailing the newly passed bilateral free trade agreements between the US and Colombia, Panama, and South Korea.
US Senator Questions Constitutionality Of ACTA 12/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The Obama administration’s recent signing of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement may face a US constitutional challenge as a member of the US Senate today called into question the administration’s power to negotiate and enter into such a trade agreement without Congress’s approval.
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.
A US Look At The New Digital Diplomacy 06/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Social media has changed the old-fashioned rules of diplomacy, a senior US State Department advisor on social media told aspiring diplomats in Geneva today. The established rules of decorum and etiquette are giving way to a more interactive, less hierarchical system.
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.
South Africa: TK Legislation In The New Tradition 06/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments “Ex Africa semper aliquid novi”, which can be freely translated from Latin to mean “there is always something new coming out of Africa,” said Pliny, the ancient Roman writer and scholar. Presumably then, as is the case now, the concept of “new” included an expression of sarcasm and deprecation as in “absurd, nonsensical and ridiculous.” Well, Pliny has been proved right once again, writes Prof. Owen Dean.
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.