Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The United States State Department has received requested funding to operate 11 projects totalling nearly $4 million in fiscal year 2009 “combat transnational crime and promote the protection of intellectual property rights worldwide,” according to State. The funds enable US…
Structural reforms within the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that altered the representation of non-commercial interests of internet users in ICANN policy development are “seriously flawed,” according to the body’s non-commercial users’ group. ICANN is the non-profit…
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is teaming up with US pharmaceutical company Pfizer to hold a workshop in Mumbai, India on 9 September on “intellectual property and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.” Presentations at the non-governmental session will…
A United States publisher of open source college textbooks – licensed under Creative Commons and fully remixable – has seen interest in its service increase more than 30-fold in the past several months, according to a press release [pdf] by…
A potentially paradigm-shifting legal case that could restrict the granting of business method patents in the United States, Bilski v. Doll has attracted the attention of policy makers world-wide, who expect its outcome to influence the international patent system (IPW,…
A World Trade Organization panel has found China has not respected some international trade obligations in a dispute brought by the United States alleging unfair treatment by China of US publications and audiovisual products, the WTO said on 12 August.…
A group of US congressional members have sent a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke calling for a temporary arrangement between the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (which manages technical aspects…
Online auction site eBay, the owner of popular, proprietary voice-over-internet protocol software Skype, has warned that the service might not continue if it loses an intellectual property dispute with Joltid, the company from which it licences Skype’s core technology. “If…
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing to consider the nomination of David J. Kappos to be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office. The hearing is being held…
Joel Tenenbaum, who is involved in a high-profile challenge of the music industry’s suit against him on the charge of unauthorised sharing of music, has written an editorial about his experiences of intimidation tactics. It is available from the Guardian…