European Court Of Human Rights Finds Turkey Violated Freedom Of Expression In YouTube Blocking 01/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Ten sites allegedly disrespectful to Kemal Attaturk, founder of modern Turkey, were enough for the courts in Turkey to ban a whole platform – YouTube – from 2008 until the end of 2010. But a ruling of the European Court of Human Rights today declared the blanket blocking a violation of the right to receive and impart information freely, protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
US Congressional Study Finds Excessive Profit-Seeking In USD84K Hepatitis Drug Sovaldi 01/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two bipartisan United States senators today released the results of an 18-month investigation into the US$84,000 price of the Sovaldi hepatitis C drug, finding the pricing and marketing strategy was aimed at maximizing revenue at the expense of access and affordability. The new report also shows the high impact on US government drug procurement programs and other data.
Medicines Patent Pool Partners with Liverpool University On HIV Nanomedicines 01/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Medicines Patent Pool has signed a collaborative agreement with the University of Liverpool to develop HIV nanomedicines.
Flexibility In The TPP Statutory Damages Provision 01/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Jonathan Band writes: During the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, many concerns were voiced about how TPP would mandate adoption of US-style statutory damages. Under the US Copyright Act, a court can award damages of up to $30,000 per work infringed, which can be ratcheted up to $150,000 per work infringed in cases of willful infringement. Scholars have found that statutory damages in the US have discouraged investment in innovative technologies while incentivizing the emergence of copyright trolls. So how bad is the statutory damages provision in the final TPP agreement?
Russia Reform Of National IP Industry: Royalty Scheme And A New Mega-Regulator 26/11/2015 by Eugene Gerden for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Authors will receive more for their inventions in Russia, as the local government has changed a scheme on the distribution of authors’ royalties. In addition, the government is setting up a new body to draw together the two dozen agencies that deal with aspects of the intellectual property system.
At WIPO, Former South Africa Judge Calls For Balance In IP Rights Enforcement 24/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Alongside this week’s meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement, an event featured a former South African Supreme Court judge presenting his views on IP enforcement. There is a need to go for the “big fish,” he said, and to bring balance in sanctions and enforcement procedures. He also described courts as finding that exceptions to copyright are a public right.
US, China Talk Standards & IP, Trade Secrets, GIs, Broadcasting, Enforcement 24/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 26th United States-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting was held from 21-23 November, and covered a wide range of intellectual property-related areas, including standards and IP, trade secrets, geographical indications, sports broadcasting, enhanced enforcement against media boxes and unauthorised content providers, and online enforcement.
WIPO Deputy Director For Copyright Resigns 23/11/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization Deputy Director General responsible for copyright, Anne Leer, has decided to resign her post, citing personal reasons.
Is The Internet Of Things (IoT) Really New Or Simply Recycled? 23/11/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments There is a lot of hype around the Internet of Things (IoT) yet many, if not most, are confused by what IoT really is and what it means for their IP and their business. In fact, some people claim that the IoT is simply a matter of applying existing technology to new applications. Many companies new to the IoT market may have strong and expansive portfolio positions for assertion. This makes it difficult at best to discern whether or not IoT inventions are really new or just recycled technology. If you are a new player in the IoT market, you most likely will be filing patent applications for new innovations; however, since IoT is being built on established technology, you need to be aware that there are hundreds of technology companies that may already own the seminal foundation patents.
Nigeria Prepares To Revamp Its Copyright System For The Digital Age 22/11/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Draft rules updating Nigeria’s copyright law regime are expected to be submitted to Parliament in 2016, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Regulatory Department Head Michael Akpan has said. While the provisions have already been thoroughly vetted by stakeholders during consultations, several are likely to be challenged, he told Intellectual Property Watch. [Updated]