Original news and analysis on international IP policy
"Information is the lifeblood of development," says the government of Rwanda in a recently-adopted intellectual property policy, part of the country’s comprehensive development strategy. The new policy attempts to integrate Rwanda into the international IP system while simultaneously safeguarding the freedom it needs to drive its own innovation system.
Legally speaking, there is "little doubt" that Google's collection of WiFi data by its roving Street View vehicles violates the Swiss Data Protection Act, and the company is likely to come under new scrutiny in Switzerland possibly even resulting in "severe financial consequences," a respected Swiss law firm has said.
Google's ambitious plans to make published books available for download on most internet-connected electronic devices by leveraging its position as the world's largest search engine could have far-reaching repercussions on electronic publishing and book file-sharing in the near future.
A technical advisory group is working to drill down on key issues surrounding the US Federal Communications Commission’s proposed internet neutrality principles, but the agency is prepared to make a final decision in the end about how those principles are implemented, a senior FCC official said Thursday.
Negotiators trying to find a solution for the world’s print disabled, who have said copyright law is limiting their access to an already meagre supply of reading material in usable formats, began discussing a possible UN recommendation this week. But the print disabled and their strongest supporters have said such a recommendation - which would not be legally binding - would fall short of meeting their needs.
A critical report on financing research and development of medicines for the world's poorest was created without transparency, failed to live up to its mandate, and did not address the potential threat that intellectual property rights can pose to access to drugs, developing countries said today at the World Health Assembly. A proposal by a group of Latin American countries for a new intergovernmental working group was not accepted by developed countries and others and quick informal consultations began to work out differences before the end of the assembly this week.
Los programas informáticos libres se están utilizando como una alternativa legal para combatir la piratería de programas informáticos en un proyecto conjunto impulsado por una organización sin fines de lucro regional, en coordinación con el Instituto Ecuatoriano de la Propiedad Intelectual (IEPI). En este proyecto, se hace uso de las bibliotecas públicas para difundir los programas informáticos libres.
一家地区性非盈利团体与厄瓜多尔知识产权局共同发起一个项目，用自由软件作为打击软件盗版的法律替代方案。该项目使用公共图书馆来传播自由软件。
Le logiciel libre est actuellement utilisé comme une alternative légale au piratage de logiciels, dans le cadre d’un projet conjoint lancé par un groupe régional à but non lucratif et par l'office de propriété intellectuelle équatorien (IEPI). Ce projet s'appuie sur les bibliothèques publiques pour diffuser des logiciels libres.
How to proceed with the results of an initiative aimed at finding real alternatives for innovative health research financing is on the agenda at next week's World Health Assembly (WHA). The assembly also is expected to approve the continuation of a working group on pandemic influenza preparedness.