Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The World Customs Organisation is recommending far-reaching new rules on intellectual property rights that some say may extend beyond the organisation’s mandate. Staff at the WCO’s Brussels headquarters are preparing what…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch
With America's political elite fixated on the race for the White House, the likelihood that the world's most powerful country will make much progress during 2008 in free trade negotiations with other nations appears slim.
Across the Atlantic, however, European Union officials have indicated they will be vigorous in insisting that high standards for protecting intellectual property are upheld as universally as possible. Numerous other bilateral talks are ongoing around the world as well. And attention may be drawn from the longstanding trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization.
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Commission has accused Microsoft of invoking intellectual property rights “in the eleventh hour” to protect its dominant position in the global computer market. Per Hellstrom, a senior official in…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Union has demanded that Taiwan change its intellectual property law within two months following a probe into how the East Asian island overruled patents on recordable CDs (CD-Rs). Philips,…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch The European Union has taken steps to ratify a 2005 decision by the World Trade Organization designed to ensure that intellectual property does not limit access to medicines in developing countries. Peter Mandelson,…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – Intellectual property rules should be reshaped to ensure that they do not hinder developing countries from gaining access to technology considered vital for addressing climate change, the European Parliament has declared.…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch
European Union governments on Thursday agreed the main components of a patent litigation system that will apply throughout the 27-country bloc.
EU ministers for industrial competitiveness gave their broad approval on 22 November to a blueprint for having a single judicial body to assess legal actions which contest the validity of a patent.
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – South Korea has been urged to strengthen its intellectual property rules in order to sign a free trade agreement with the European Union. Talks are underway between the EU and the…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Union has pledged not to include any intellectual property provisions that would curb access to medicines in a series of free trade agreements it is negotiating with least-developed countries.…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch
Obtaining a Europe-wide patent should become easier next year when an accord reducing the translation requirements for protecting an innovation comes into effect.
Under the London Agreement, countries that recognise English, French or German as one of their official languages will no longer stipulate that a full description of a patent be translated into their most commonly-used language. English, French and German are also the three official languages of the European Patent Office in Munich. The change was aimed at reducing the administrative and financial burden on patent filers but has raised concerns.