Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The European Patent Office’s recent revocation of a German company’s patent on a plant extract is being seen by some as a step toward fighting biopiracy related to intellectual property rights. In its 26 January decision, the EPO considered the…
Enforcement of rights and a global harmonisation of systems look to be among the focal points of trademark and geographical indications policy in 2010. Significant activity will occur in these areas in Europe. But whether it is the setting up of a database for trademark registration, amendments to the Lisbon Treaty on the Protection of Appellation of Origin, or the evaluation of the European trademark system, efforts to improve current tools are showing at national and international levels.
China is expected to implement changes that will allow foreign distributors to import audiovisual entertainment products in China without trade being narrowed by state-owned channels after it lost its dispute case against the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The recommendations of the dispute settlement panel and the Appellate Body were adopted today by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body.
The intellectual property system seems to be tight at the seams with a global overload of work for national IP offices and a backlog in patent requests. Further international cooperation and some adjustments are necessary to keep an efficient high quality IP system, according to speakers at a private-sector meeting in Geneva on 14-15 January.
Two separate trade associations this week announced leadership changes to kick off the New Year. The International Trademark Association (INTA) named its 2010 president on 1 January. Heather Steinmeyer, lead counsel for intellectual property at WellPoint Inc, a US Fortune…
US internet search engine company Google was sentenced by a French tribunal to pay a €300,000 euro fine to French publishing company La Martinière on 18 December but plans to appeal, according to sources. According to the judgment posted on…
Contracts covering new technologies and intangible assets protected by intellectual property rights, notably through patents, industrial designs or copyright, need to be carefully crafted to establish clear ownership of IP rights, said experts at a recent seminar in Geneva. This is the case for contracts related to research carried out in universities or when companies enter a licensing agreement.
La récente décision d’un juge argentin d’abandonner les poursuites engagées contre un professeur de philosophie accusé de violation de droit d’auteur est considérée par les défenseurs de la cause de l’accès aux œuvres comme un nouveau moyen d’attirer l’attention sur les problèmes liés au droit d’auteur en Amérique Latine.
La decisión reciente de un juez argentino de desestimar los cargos presentados contra un profesor de filosofía por supuesta violación de los derechos de autor se considera un paso importante para dirigir la atención hacia los asuntos relativos al derecho de autor en América Latina, según dejaron trascender algunos defensores.
An Argentinean judge’s recent decision to drop charges against a philosophy professor for alleged copyright infringement is being seen as a stepping stone to drawing attention to copyright issues in Latin America, according to advocates.
Professor Horacio Potel created open source websites to post foreign philosophers’ work in Spanish. The websites were named “Nietzsche in Spanish,” “Heidegger in Spanish,” and “Derrida in Spanish.”
COPENHAGEN - A new draft climate change text on development and transfer of technology, obtained by Intellectual Property Watch and available to subscribers, was issued and under discussion at COP15 this afternoon.
Following Ambassador Trevor Clarke’s appointment at the World Intellectual Property Organization and departure from the Barbados delegation, Ambassador Karen Tan of Singapore will chair the World Trade Organization Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) “Special Sessions,” until…