Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) last week hosted a meeting of experts in Harare, Zimbabwe, to review the Draft Regulations for the Implementation of the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.
John Sullivan writes: It's obvious that this acquisition isn’t necessarily about the IP assets of LinkedIn. However, let’s have a closer look at LinkedIn’s portfolio to see if there are any hidden gems inside that would represent a nice fringe benefit to what already looks like a mutually beneficial acquisition.
The intergovernmental South Centre has raised the level of its activity on issues of relevance to the intellectual property community in recent weeks.
Beware “digital protectionism.” That was one of the key messages of United States Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, speaking at the official opening of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial on the digital economy in Cancun, Mexico.
Jaguar Land Rover has sued carmaker Jiangling Motor in a Chinese court for allegedly copying its Evoque SUV, but observers say the solution to car clones lies outside the courtroom.
On the eve of the third internet-related Ministerial Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) starting on 22 June in Cancun, Mexico, the Global Commission on Internet Governance (GCIG) published a think report on “One Internet.” Calling for a new “social compact” for the internet, the 140-page report that was fed by 50 research studies has a number of well-known recommendations, some surprisingly technical and some interesting ones.
A 20 June decision by the Supreme Court upholding US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rules for inter partes review of patents isn't helpful to patent owners, according to several attorneys. The ruling in Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee (No. 15-446) disappointed expectations for another pro-patent holder decision following a 13 June ruling in another case, said Proskauer patent lawyer Baldassare Vinti. USPTO Director Michelle Lee, however, said the decision would allow the office to continue resolving patentability disputes via less expensive alternatives to litigation.
As part of a larger report on the G20 top global economies, the World Trade Organization has provided a discussion of policy developments in trade and intellectual property. This includes a look at international policy actions, recent agreements, and national legislation and trends.
A new analysis released this week by the United States Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) shows that some 86 percent of all physical counterfeiting comes from China and Hong Kong. Companies locating manufacturing there may not be surprised to find counterfeit versions of their products on the market, and seizures are a small fraction of the goods getting into the global trade stream, the report says.
United States Trade Representative Michael Froman today said biologics remain one of the biggest unresolved issues in getting the Trans-Pacific Partnership passed in the US Congress. He called biologics an intellectual property rights issue and said the administration is working with Congress and industry to resolve concerns without reopening the trade deal completed last autumn.
The 28 European Union governments today gave final approval to a first-ever plan to analyse medicines competition in Europe, with reference to drug prices, generics and biosimilars, and intellectual property rights. The final version was watered down after what sources said was heavy industry lobbying, compared to a leaked version published in Intellectual Property Watch two weeks ago, but still retains some strong provisions regarding pricing and competition.
A new response plan for a strategic response to the Zika virus has been announced by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.