Dugie Standeford

Articles: 158

Europe’s Outlook For 2011: EU Patent, Digital Content, Innovation And Free Trade

The Digital Agenda's hoped-for role as a key growth driver for Europe’s flagging economy has pushed intellectual property issues into a high-priority spot on the EU’s policy agenda for 2011. In an effort to boost job creation and innovation, the European Commission is looking to improve online content licensing, access and protection. And despite continuing opposition from several countries, the long-awaited European patent is finally moving forward. Debate is also heating up on new ways to encourage biomedical innovation, and on a proposed EU-India free trade pact.

Dugie Standeford
January 13, 2011
2 Comments

European Ruling Could Reshape Collective Copyright Levy System

In a ruling expected to rock Europe’s controversial copyright levy system, the European Court of Justice held on 20 October that governments may impose fees on digital reproduction equipment to compensate rights holders only when the devices are likely to be used for private copying.

Dugie Standeford
October 25, 2010

Special Report: Are Copyright Trolls The Future Of Digital Content Protection?

Entrepreneurial law firms in the United States and United Kingdom are targeting suspected internet infringers through mass letter-writing and lawsuit campaigns. Are “copyright trolls” the way of the future for protecting digital content?

Dugie Standeford
October 18, 2010
2 Comments

Rights Holders Launch Initiative To Protect Content In Africa

Foreign content producers and broadcasters hope the soon-to-be-launched Africa Media Rights Watch will help convince the region’s regulators and consumers alike to increase respect for copyright.

Dugie Standeford
August 26, 2010

Shareholders In 3G Mobile Patent Company Seek US Investigation Of Nokia, Ericsson

Two shareholders in a Pennsylvania company with patents key to third generation (3G) mobile communications want the US Department of Justice to investigate European mobile phone manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson and others for failing to pay royalties for use of the technology. Antitrust scrutiny is needed to prevent the same thing from happening as the next generation of mobile phones rolls out, Richard Monahan and Kent Greene say.

Dugie Standeford
April 23, 2010

Contradictory Court Rulings, Continuing Tension On Internet Liability In EU

In its 2010 digital music report, the International Federation for the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said that despite the availability of 400 legitimate online music offerings worldwide and significantly higher 2009 revenues, the music sector remains hard-hit by peer-to-peer and emerging forms of copyright infringement.

Dugie Standeford
February 17, 2010

EU Patent Regime Approved: Includes EU Patents Court, EU Patent, Coordination

European Union governments have unanimously approved a roadmap for a single European patent regime. The system is seen as key to making patenting less expensive and more efficient for European inventors, but the devil, as always, is in the details, stakeholders say.

Dugie Standeford
December 4, 2009
1 Comment

Kappos’ Early Days At USPTO: Many Changes, Few Funds

Reform of the United States patent system, better patent quality and greater international cooperation among patent offices are just a few of the jobs new United States Patent and Trademark Office chief David Kappos has on his plate.

Dugie Standeford
October 23, 2009
1 Comment

Regulators’ Role Seen Rising As E-Content Tied To Devices

When Amazon.com remotely deleted George Orwell’s “1984" and “Animal Farm” from its Kindle e-books, it stirred up a hornet’s nest of complaints about privacy, the potential erosion of copyright users’ rights and censorship. Is the shift to “tethered devices” a real cause for concern or much ado about nothing?

Dugie Standeford
September 29, 2009
5 Comments

Digital Library Europeana Said To Be Europe’s Answer to Google Books Settlement

Google’s settlement in the United States of copyright infringement claims by authors and book publishers faces strong opposition from European publishers. The deal does not apply to books outside the US and one Google official has suggested the need for a similar service in Europe. Could digital library Europeana be the solution? A 28 August European Commission policy statement addressed that concern and others.

Dugie Standeford
August 28, 2009
1 Comment

US Cablevision Decision Has Implications For Cloud Computing, Online Advertising

A recent United States Supreme Court order letting stand a decision that a proposed remote digital video recorder does not violate copyright law has major implications for internet “cloud computing” and advertisers, intellectual property lawyers say.

Dugie Standeford
July 3, 2009

South African Authors Seek First Public Lending Right In A Developing Country

South Africa could become the first developing country to permit authors to be paid when libraries lend their books if an authors’ group gets it way, but the proposal is likely to spur strong opposition from access-to-knowledge advocates and libraries.