European Commission Launches Consultation On EU Copyright Modernisation
The European Commission today announced the launch of a public consultation on modernisation of European Union copyright rules.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category English
IP-Watch Works To Open TPP Text; USTR Misses Response Deadline
Intellectual Property Watch has been working to make more information public about US government involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement under negotiation with 11 other countries.
Yemen Accedes To WTO; Outcry Over Tough TRIPS Deadline
At the World Trade Organization Ministerial in Bali, Indonesia today, Yemen was accepted as a new least-developed country member. Its terms for joining included adoption of full intellectual property trade rules by 2016, which more than 160 civil society groups worldwide said is in contravention of last summer's agreement to extend the period for LDCs to adopt such rules to 2021 or later.
Study: EU Citizens Value IP, Yet Find Some Infringement Acceptable
The European Union Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM) has released a study showing that most EU citizens are aware of and value intellectual property, but about a third of them find infringement acceptable in certain circumstances.
Down To The Wire, WIPO’s Gurry Continues To Catch Flak In US
World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry continues to receive criticism from some quarters in the United States technology and intellectual property sector who say he should not be re-elected for a second six-year term next year.
WTO: Bali Package Still Not Close Enough; TRIPS Issue Likely To Be Agreed
Even for the “low-hanging fruit,” the 125 ministers gathered in Bali at this week’s World Trade Organization Ninth Ministerial Conference will have to work hard. After talks on food security and subsidisation broke down last week in Geneva, the WTO has rearranged the agenda to allow more space for ministers to engage in direct negotiations, WTO Spokesman Keith Rockwell said at a briefing on the eve of the event.
Revision Of Lisbon Treaty Seen By Some As Discriminatory To National Systems
As countries party to the treaty protecting appellations of origin at the World Intellectual Property Organization are working on a revision of the treaty to include geographical indications, some countries which are not members of the treaty, such as the United States and Australia, are raising concerns about potential implications of the revision.
Movers And Shakers In The IP World Jostle For Influence
Just as the world of international intellectual property law and policy is ever-changing, so are the faces within it. There’s a new head of the US Commerce Department who has a bold, IP-friendly agenda coming up, and there’s a hole at the helm of the USPTO. The British Prime Minister named an entertainment industry-friendly IP advisor, while Twitter has formed its own PAC and hired its first lobbyist as the social media platform continues to rise in both use and influence. Law firms in the US are bolstering their IP practices, recognising that it’s these issues that spur action most in Congress. Read the latest edition of the IP-Watch People column for an updated list of the latest people news and IP moves.
European Commission Floats Proposal To Stop Theft Of Trade Secrets
The rise of cybercrime and industrial espionage, including alleged economic spying by the US National Security Agency, calls for a pan-European system to protect trade secrets, the European Commission said on 27 November. A recent survey showed that one in five European companies has suffered at least one attempt to steal its trade secrets in the past 10 years, the EC said, and the numbers are rising. It proposed legislation to safeguard undisclosed know-how and business information against unlawful theft and abuse. Industry generally hailed the proposal, though one law firm said it lacks some enforcement teeth.
Critical Moment For Africa’s Small Farmers As ARIPO Decides On Plant Variety Protection
The Africa Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) this week was expected to consider a proposal to move toward a biotechnology-friendly future, but small farmers say the current proposal will damage their ability to exist in the those countries.
WIPO Launches Green Tech Licensing Database, Network
The World Intellectual Property Organization today launched WIPO Green, a database and network aimed at boosting licensing of environmental technologies.
USTR Says Its TPP Proposal On IP And Public Health Shows Flexibility
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday issued a statement on the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement talks on intellectual property rights and public health, suggesting that it has put forward new ideas on the issue. The statement is worded to reflect that USTR has heard the concerns of other governments and of public health advocates, but it's unclear if those groups will accept it.