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Seminar Addresses Liability, Filtering Of User-Posted Online Content

By John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch
WASHINGTON, DC - "What goes up on the Internet must come down because of copyright infringement until it goes up again," according to James DeLong, moderator of a 16 March seminar in Washington, DC. The seminar heard views on liability, filtering and copyrights related to user-generated content online, and offered a voice to Viacom to explain its legal attack on Google's popular video upload site YouTube.

EU Enforcement Directive Stuck: What Is ‘Commercial Scale’ Infringement?

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch
For the third time since December, the European Parliament committee vote on an EU directive on criminal sanctions against infringers of intellectual property rights has been postponed. This is a signal that there are great difficulties with the text, say observers from non governmental organisations, who argue that the European Commission should kill it or rewrite it from scratch.

But a compromise is near, according to the vice chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market (JURI), Rainer Wieland (EPP).

Mobile Phone Cases Test Royalties’ Link To Patent Quality

By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch
When should a patent be considered higher quality? Qualcomm, the United States mobile technology firm at the heart of countless patent infringement court cases, has justified the royalties it charges on mobile phone patents in a paper released earlier this month.

Patent Debates Continue Worldwide In 2007

By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen and William New
Patents are bound to be another hot issue this year. But although many parties are pushing for changes in this area - from global patent harmonisation and proposals for better patent protection of biodiversity and traditional knowledge, to ways to control soaring patent filings, to national reform of patent laws - actual implementation of these changes may be harder to obtain.

Fair Use, Broadcast Protections Global Copyright Priorities This Year

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
While antipiracy initiatives and updated broadcasting protections remain dominant themes for government and industry this year, 2007 also could usher in an expansion of user rights as well, according to sources. In the United States and perhaps worldwide, the focus appears to be on fair use or fair dealing, said DowLohnes intellectual property attorney James Burger. Outside the US, it is taking the form of legislation clarifying or expanding private use of copyrighted material, he said, while internally, "the personal use issue is more likely to find its challenge in the judicial system."

Patent Reform, Copyright Enforcement Are Key European IP Issues for 2007

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
Last year saw the apparent demise of two hotly contested European Union intellectual property policy proposals, the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) and consideration of a pan-European copyright levy on blank audiovisual media. This year could prove a bit quieter, although a European Commission plan to criminalise some IP infringements may prove no less controversial.

People News: Steiger To Africa, Sigall To Microsoft

By William New
As the Bush administration enters its final cycle, personnel changes are being seen at a variety of levels, including key health, copyright and telecommunications officials involved in intellectual property-related issues.

Industry Works To Allay Concerns On Patenting Of Genetic Resources

By William New
Addressing a mixed crowd of private-sector innovation champions and cautious keepers of traditional indigenous ways at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) last week, biotechnology industry representatives sought to overcome fears of intentional misappropriation.