USTR Plans Another Year Of Elevating IP Protection With Trading Partners 04/04/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) last week delivered to Congress its 2008 National Trade Estimate Report (NTE), which includes many intellectual property-related challenges in 62 trading partners around the world. The report shows USTR’s plan to pursue ever-stronger IP protection with its trading […]
US Election, Patent Reform Could Decide Fate of Voided USPTO Rules 03/04/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A United States federal court in Virginia Tuesday voided US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rules capping the number of continuation requests and claims patent seekers can submit without incurring additional costs and paperwork. The decision could spark a renewed agency push on Capitol Hill for rulemaking authority, […]
UK IP Chief: Copyright System A “Constant Conflict” 03/04/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch The copyright system is not a balance but a “constant conflict” whose nature must be continually debated, UK Intellectual Property Office Chief Executive Ian Fletcher said at a recent seminar on the future of copyright. The office is in the throes of a consultation on possible new copyright law exceptions, the most controversial of which is a proposal to allow limited format-shifting.
India Cancer Patients Seek To Use Courts For Access To Patented Drugs 03/04/2008 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch One of the most vocal voices for the interests of cancer patients in India says it will use the courts to force the Indian government to declare cancer a national emergency, in an attempt to make cancer drugs affordable to sufferers. The Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) wants […]
New National-Level Programmes Echo WIPO Patent Treaty 01/04/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – The Japanese Patent Office in April will introduce a new policy called JP-First, which aims to release patent examination results of applications first filed with the JPO to major patent offices throughout the world, including in some developing countries. The initiative and others could be steps toward allowing patent filers to bypass an established international treaty on patents, sources said. Also at the event, government officials and academics also discussed copyright developments in Canada. US experts argued that Canada is not doing its part to crack down on piracy, while the Canadians said they are actually setting the bar in some areas in terms of protecting copyrighted works.
Faible mouvement de protestation contre la révision de la loi suisse sur le droit d’auteur 31/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par Catherine Saez Les nouvelles dispositions adoptées par la Suisse pour renforcer les droits des artistes interprètes, des producteurs et les diffuseurs en ligne apparaissent moins strictes que celles adoptées dans d’autres pays, selon certains observateurs. Pour certains activistes, toutefois, ces nouvelles dispositions portent atteinte aux droits des utilisateurs. Le 5 octobre, le Parlement fédéral […]
Revision of Swiss Copyright Law Raises Moderate Protest 20/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Catherine Saez Switzerland has adopted a new copyright law strengthening the rights of performers, producers and copyright owners online that appears less stringent than similar legislation adopted in some peer countries, according to observers. Nevertheless, some activists still see the Swiss law as jeopardising users’ rights.
Débat sur la neutralité du Net aux Etats-Unis : des implications sur la gouvernance mondiale de l’Internet 20/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Par Liza Porteus Viana pour Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – Le débat sur la neutralité du réseau Internet fait rage aux Etats-Unis. Certains observateurs estiment que l’adoption d’une loi dans ce domaine pourrait permettre de définir des principes généraux pour la gouvernance d’Internet à l’avenir. La neutralité du réseau Internet (« neutralité du Net […]
US Senate Moves Toward Vote On Reform To Patent Regime 18/03/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Legislation for sweeping patent reform in the United States could see Senate floor action as soon as early April. Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat-Nevada, said the congressional body could consider S 1145 next month but the Senate Judiciary Committee has not been given a firm date, a committee […]
El debate en EE.UU. sobre la neutralidad de Internet tiene consecuencias para la gobernanza mundial 17/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Liza Porteus Viana para Intellectual Property Watch NUEVA YORK- El debate sobre la neutralidad de Internet se está agudizando en los Estados Unidos y algunos observadores dicen que si allí logra establecerse una norma legislativa, ésta podría servir en el futuro de principio mundial para la gobernanza de Internet. La neutralidad de Internet (“neutralidad […]