Original news and analysis on international IP policy
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The United States, home to the organisation that oversees technical aspects of the internet domain name system, has advice for an upcoming meeting in Brazil aimed at revisiting the global internet governance: consider principles developed in past meetings, and don't retread old sore spots. In other words, don't disrupt the status quo.
There have been several important developments related to copyright in the European Union in the past week. Below is a summary.
After three rounds of negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), European Union Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht this week welcomed the progress so far. But negotiators have to “step up a gear,” de Gucht said after a two-day stocktaking meeting with the United States Trade Representative Michael Froman in Washington, DC on 18 February. Meanwhile, USTR announced new steps to raise public participation in trade negotiations.
The much-debated Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill in South Africa, aimed at boosting protection for traditional knowledge, was signed by President Jacob Zuma without much fanfare and promotion. What happens now?
A recent report predicts the loss of at least $100 billion per year in intellectual property globally by 2018 as a result of 3D printing.
The European Parliament (EP) is scheduled to vote on 24 February on the draft Single Telecoms Package Regulation drafted by the Industry, Research and Energy Committee - on the future of neutral internet.
From infojustice.org: [Australian Digital Alliance] It has been a big week for Australian Copyright. On Thursday the Attorney-General, the Hon George Brandis QC, tabled the long-anticipated final report from the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) Copyright and the Digital Economy inquiry. This inquiry was charged with determining if copyright exceptions and limitations were working in the digital age. The conclusion was that reform was needed.
It is generally considered that internet governance and cyber safety issues should be addressed in a multilateral way, but several points remain highly controversial, such as the adoption of rules and modifications of internet governance to be made. These issues were the subject of a panel at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research this week.
Over the revelations of mass surveillance of internet users and government officials, the topic of internet governance has risen to the mainstream political agenda. And a Communication on “Europe's role in shaping the future of Internet Governance” passed by the European Commission today would put “Europe in the center of the debate,” EC Vice President Neelie Kroes said in a press conference in Brussels.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative today published its annual list of online and physical marketplaces worldwide that are most engaged in sales and trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods.
Member states of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization, the global body for international IP policy issues, will vote on 6 March for the next WIPO director general for six years. Intellectual Property Watch asked the candidates four key questions. Here are their responses.
With 640 of 680 votes, the European Parliament today passed a new directive on “collective management of copyright and related rights and multi-territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online uses in the internal market.” Rarely before has the usually controversial subject of copyright rallied such broad agreement in Parliament.