Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The United States Senate is expected to hold a vote on a bill to modify US patent law, in part making it more closely aligned with international practices, according to Senate sources. But some are concerned the bill will not end patent fee diversion at the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has issued a new statement about a future contract with the United States for root zone management and other internet infrastructure functions, warning against undermining the multistakeholder model for governing core internet infrastructures.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) under negotiation by a group of countries including those in the European Union is more ambitious than current EU law and risks problems for access to medicines, concluded a recent study commissioned by the European Parliament Committee on International Trade. But the study stops short of calling for a flat rejection of the agreement.
The European Commission yesterday announced the availability of nearly €7 billion euros (nearly US$10 billion) to boost innovation, its biggest grant ever for research and development. The move is predicted to create 174,000 jobs in the short-term and some 450,000 jobs and €80 billion in economic growth over the next 15 years.
A major action was announced today by the United States Justice Department as it arrested 16 people and executed 35 search warrants for alleged hackers mostly said to be involved in retaliation by the group Anonymous against PayPal for blocking payments to Wikileaks after it released a large number of classified documents late last year. Five arrests were also made in Europe.
The official responsible for the staid World Intellectual Property Organization internet domain dispute resolution procedures has again come out strongly against efforts by another international body to reform those dispute procedures.
In the face of a severe food shortage, Kenya's Cabinet has approved imports of genetically modified maize, though it has drawn the line on use of GM maize as seeds, a regional newspaper reports.
The largest United States industry association continues to push for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) to be the model of the highest intellectual property rights standards of any US agreement, matching the US-Korea free trade agreement.
Global public health experts in charge of exploring ways to finance R&D on diseases endemic in developing countries last week provided a preliminary summary of assessments on proposals provided by various stakeholders. They also made recommendations to establish global mechanisms, including a binding global instrument for R&D and innovation for health.
The European Commission today presented its annual report on customs activities related to intellectual property rights (IPR) infringing goods, finding sharp increases in some areas and leading to calls for new enforcement measures.