Category IP Policies

Special Report: WHO Advisory Group On Flu Preparedness Hears Comments, Addresses New Genetics Issue

World Health Organization members and stakeholders were invited to provide comments this month on the organisation’s framework to spur preparedness for future influenza pandemics and ensure treatments will reach developing countries. The framework is expected to undergo a review in 2016. The advisory group to the initiative also went through issues such as contributions by manufacturers, and how to deal with genetic sequence data.

Catherine Saez
October 22, 2015
2 Comments

CEIPI Event – Is Copyright In The EU Fit For The 21st Century?

The Center for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) of the University of Strasbourg welcomes the Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, for a conference-debate on the topic of the future copyright reform in the EU: “Is copyright in the EU fit for the 21st century?”.

Intellectual Property Watch
October 21, 2015

WIPO Re:Search Side Event – Realisations And Steps Forward

Alongside the recent World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly, the WIPO Global Challenges Division presented WIPO Re:Search, a public-private consortium to facilitate research on neglected tropical diseases, tuberculosis and malaria.

Evolution Of The Copyright Exceptions And Limitations Provision In The TPP

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement contains an important provision concerning achieving balance in the copyright systems of the twelve countries party to that free trade agreement. This provision was not present in the early draft of the agreement. Then, in…

William New
October 21, 2015

Special Report: US Reverses Course On Patent Injunctions

The Federal Circuit is no stranger to controversy. And recently, the court stepped in it again. In an important ruling, the court made it far easier for some patent owners to obtain injunctions against infringers. The ruling could promote patent litigation in many industries, boost litigation costs, and effectively undermine a key Supreme Court decision limiting the availability of patent injunctions.

Steven Seidenberg
October 20, 2015

Infojustice.org: Google Books And Feist-y Fair Use

From infojustice.org: Judge Pierre Leval’s opinion [on 16 October] in the Google Books case offers another fascinating glimpse into the richness of his thinking about the concept of fair use. Although the outcome in Google Books (Google wins, duh) was obvious to anyone whose paycheck didn’t depend on their believing otherwise, the discussion that gets us there sheds light on a host of hot fair use topics in ways that courts and copyright wonks will be citing and unpacking for years to come.

Standards Needed For IP Value To Be Recognised By Banks, IP Offices Say

Valuation of intellectual property is of growing importance to small and medium-sized enterprises in getting loans from financial institutions, IP office representatives said at a side event to the World Intellectual Property Organisation General Assembly this month.

Catherine Saez
October 20, 2015

EPO Still In Turmoil As Supervisory Body Backs Dismissal Of High-Level Staff

The European Patent Organisation has been in turmoil for years facing serious staff dissent and complaints aimed at EPO President Benoît Battistelli of France. The EPO's effort appears to have intensified in recent months, and on Friday the EPO Administrative Council, the agency's supervisory body, announced an action to back Battistelli and endorsed a request for the dismissal of a high-level staff member. The action sent critics to new levels of criticism.

Intellectual Property Watch
October 20, 2015

At WIPO, Panel Urges Women To Get Out Of Their Comfort Zones

Panellists at a recent discussion on women and intellectual property proposed steps institutions and women themselves could take to increase the number of female entrepreneurs, in order for the IP system to benefit men and women equally.

Marianna Drake
October 20, 2015
1 Comment

“The Brain Is The Next Frontier,” Bioethics Futurist Says, Raising New Societal Challenges

At the recent TEDx CERN event, Intellectual Property Watch caught up with bioethicist and legal philosopher Matthew Liao, to reflect on challenging moral questions raised by new advances in computing and neuroscience allowing for the manipulation of human thoughts and memories. Liao reflected on whether we should use drugs and technology to erase traumatic memories, and if individuals have a moral obligation to themselves to remember certain events.

Marianna Drake
October 19, 2015
6 Comments

TEDx CERN: Academics, Artists And Scientists “Break The Rules” For Future

Speakers from the fields of academia, arts and science brought their visions of a new world and the role the next generation must play in shaping it to the audience of TEDx CERN on 9 October. The visionary speakers break the boundaries of academic research to propose innovative solutions for the future that take into account today’s limitations.

Marianna Drake
October 19, 2015
1 Comment

Governments’ Role In Management Of Internet In Question At ICANN Meeting

Amidst rising voices that time is of essence to finalise the oversight transition for core internet functions from the United States government to the community of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), governments are divided over what their role should be.

Monika Ermert
October 19, 2015