Ecuador Grants First Compulsory Licence, For HIV/AIDS Drug 22/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments Ecuador this month granted its first compulsory licence for a patented pharmaceutical since declaring last year that it would utilise international rules allowing it to do so. The move has already brought the country substantial savings due to new competition, according to the Ecuadorean intellectual property office. Other Latin American countries might be drawn to the prospect of reduced drug prices, according to advocates. The rights owner said it is disappointed with the decision.
Free Software Used To Fight Piracy, Broaden Knowledge Access In Ecuador 22/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A joint project being launched by a regional non-profit group along with the Ecuador’s intellectual property office (IEPI) aims to reduce software piracy by offering a free software alternative through public libraries. The initiative is meant to encourage the use of legal software and thereby lower the piracy rate.
Open Source Company Alleges IBM Antitrust; IBM Requests Analysis 20/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Computer giant IBM is facing an antitrust claim before the European Commission brought by an open source software company alleging that IBM is preventing customers from using that software. Meanwhile, the open source community is worried that the use of intellectual property rights by IBM – a leading open source software maker – to block a competitor will endanger free and open source software and might uncap other IP rights claims from other players. IBM, for its part, is reaffirming its support to open source community and has asked the competing company to explain how its software does not infringe on IBM IP rights.
WIPO, WTO Requested To Advise On Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Several members of the European Parliament today sent letters to the directors general of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization requesting technical assistance in the negotiation of an agreement that some are calling an attempt to circumvent global norms on intellectual property enforcement and related public interest flexibility.
UK Passes Internet Access-Limiting Bill For Alleged IP Infringers 08/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Kingdom Parliament late last night approved a controversial digital economy bill that allows the court to impose obligations on internet service providers to limit internet access of its users deemed to have infringed online copyrights.
Smooth Criminal Harmonisation — ACTA, EU And IPR Enforcement 08/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Lassi Jyrkkiö writes: Anything one can consider as politically cool from an EU perspective, ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, the multilateral treaty to combat counterfeiting and piracy) negotiations have got it all: the internet, the USA, large potential for media exposure and a hitherto Nixonian element of secrecy balanced by a flow of thrilling documents leaked by generous deep-throats.
Europe Learns The Truth(s) About ACTA 07/04/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The truth about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is different depending on which side you are on.
United States Sees Spate Of Intellectual Property Policy Activity 07/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In the aftermath of the recent protracted fights over healthcare, the United States has seen a wave of intellectual property-related policy activity
Special Report: The Significance Of Europe’s Ruling On Google Ads And Trademarks 07/04/2010 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Court of Justice’s recent ruling in Google v. Louis Vuitton Malletier SA has been hailed a major legal victory for Google and other search providers. That, however, is only part of the story.
Risk Of Wrongful Medicines Seizures Seen In EU-Central America Trade Deal 06/04/2010 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new accord designed to bolster political and economic ties between the European Union and Central America could result in greater seizures of medicines whenever pharmaceutical companies allege that their patents have been infringed, public health advocates have warned.