Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The United States Supreme Court, the nation’s highest court, has decided to review a case involving patenting of business methods, which could have a significant impact on the future of patenting. On 30 October 2008, the US Federal Circuit Court…
With US health resources, a “wide gap remains between what can be done with existing knowledge and what is actually being done” says a new report by the National Academies Institute of Medicine, which is meant to advise the Obama…
The World Trade Organization on Wednesday announced that the next ministerial-level negotiating meeting will be held on 30 November to 2 December at the WTO headquarters in Geneva. The ministerial will have a theme of “The WTO, the Multilateral Trading…
World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy on Tuesday named his four existing deputies to new terms. Alejandro Jara of Chile, Valentine Rugwabiza of Rwanda, Harsha Singh of India and Rufus Yerxa of the United States will be retained in…
The United States Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business group, on Monday issued a release applauding a new bill introduced into the US House of Representatives by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (Democrat, California) that would “enhance…
The United Kingdom will now fast-track patent applications for inventions that could have a significant impact on combatting climate change. The “green” patent initiative was launched on 12 May by David Lammy, UK Minister for Intellectual Property. It will enable…
The much-disputed French HADOPI legislation on the diffusion and protection of works on the internet was adopted Tuesday by the French National Assembly by a majority of 296 in favour and 233 against. With Tuesday’s passage, alleged copyright infringers now…
The United States Copyright Office held two days of hearings this week to consider new fair use exemptions to the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which prohibits breaking encryption on copyrighted digital material. Every three years, the Copyright Office…
The EU Parliament on Wednesday underlined its position that any limitations of the fundamental right of access to information is subject to a prior check by a judge. By voting for amendment No. 138/46 in the report of French Socialist…
If the United States enacts reform of its patent law, S 515, this year as proposed, it would cut discretionary spending by US$173 million over the period 2010-2014, according to a 30 April US Congressional Budget Office cost estimate. This…
World Trade Organization (WTO) members Thursday agreed to a second four-year term for current Director General Pascal Lamy. Prior to joining the WTO, Lamy was Commissioner for Trade at the European Commission, and also previously served as CEO of the…
The United States National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has published a notice of inquiry regarding the expiration of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between the agency and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees technical…