World Bank Now Relying On Capital Markets, Focuses On Fragile Countries 20/03/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After the announcement in December of a record US$75 billion commitment to its International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group said today that this commitment was both historic in terms of value, and also a sign of a paradigm change, including the raising of funds from capital markets.
EU High Court Ruling’s Implications For Content Streaming In Europe And Worldwide 20/03/2017 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling relating to TV internet broadcasts from the UK underscores tight restrictions in place for content streaming in the European Union (EU), legal scholars say.
Intellectual Property: A Very Short Introduction, New From Oxford University Press 20/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In Intellectual Property: A Very Short Introduction, by Siva Vaidhyanathan, readers are introduced to the basics of intellectual property, framed in a way that illustrates how intellectual property both shapes and is shaped by larger economic, political and social contexts.
Brazilian Legend Celso Amorim Recounts Negotiation For TRIPS Flexibilities 16/03/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Minister Celso Amorim of Brazil has had a significant impact on the state of global negotiations in his professional lifetime, including on global intellectual property rights.
Do US Patent Incentives Need To Change To Get The ‘Cancer Moonshot’ Off The Ground? 16/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In December, the United States Congress passed a bill with a monumental goal: engaging the private sector to work with each other, and with the government, to develop new treatments for cancer. The mechanics of cancer research, however, may require fundamental changes to our patent system if the initiative is to be successful. Intellectual Property Watch recently sat down with Jacob Sherkow, associate professor of law and affiliated faculty at the Innovation Center for Law and Technology at New York University Law School, to discuss challenges to overcome to get the Moonshot off the ground.
Are The EPO President’s Days Numbered? 15/03/2017 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment With rumours swirling that European Patent Office President Benoît Battistelli is seeking another term in office, disgruntled staff members called another demonstration today to try to push the office’s governing body, which is meeting on 15-16 March, to find a successor. [Further update on meeting outcome now added]
Social Media Providers Could Face Stiff Punishment For Hate Speech, Fake News In Germany 14/03/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment German Justice Minister Heiko Maas today presented draft legislation to whack social media providers for what the minister described as reluctance to take down hate speech and fake news.
Under Pressure, US Confirms Michelle Lee Is Still USPTO Director 14/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A letter made public only by a United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request confirms that Michelle Lee remains the director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), ending a mystery that has been curiously kept secret since President Trump took office over 50 days ago.
3D Printing In Africa: Huge Benefit Or Big IP Threat? 13/03/2017 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The five-metre tall 3D printer dwarfs four engineers in the renewable energy laboratory at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the biggest tertiary institution in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Inertia Slows Evolution For Open Scientists 10/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments It is still a long way to a new generation of “open scientists”, German open data researcher Christian Heise found out in his just-published PhD thesis. Heise not only investigated drivers and barriers for what he expects to be an evolution from open access to open science by theory and a survey of over 1100 scientists. He tried the concept open science the hard way, opening up the writing of his thesis paper on the net.