Original news and analysis on international IP policy
European Union governments have unanimously approved a roadmap for a single European patent regime. The system is seen as key to making patenting less expensive and more efficient for European inventors, but the devil, as always, is in the details, stakeholders say.
“In international law we like metaphors,” said William Patry, Senior Copyright Counsel at Google and author of the recent book Moral Panics and the Copyright Wars. One of the most pervasive of these is “a rising tide lifts all boats,” a metaphor whose danger lies in appearing logical. But making theory into copyright policy will benefit neither content creators nor those interested in preserving access to knowledge, he said.
Lors de négociations informelles tenues vendredi dernier dans la matinée, le Comité du développement et de la propriété intellectuelle semble s’être approché d’un consensus sur le mécanisme de coordination du Plan d’action pour le développement. Cependant, l’après-midi même, les gouvernements ont été incapables de surmonter les divergences qui subsistaient.
The European Parliament today formally approved an update to European telecommunications rules aimed at enforcing consumer rights and supporting a single European market. But the change might also leave the door open for legislation restricting the internet in member countries and potentially questionable traffic management practice by internet service providers, according to a consumer group.
If you don't count China, it was difficult to find people speaking against an extension of the non-decision-making Internet Governance Forum (IGF) of the United Nations at last week's gathering. An overwhelming majority of the 1,800 participants at the Egyptian tourist destination Sharm El Sheikh seemed to be in favour of the “multi-stakeholder” discussions taking place during the IGF events because they allow for better understanding on overarching issues like human rights and privacy or access problems in developing countries, but also the specialised problems with the internet infrastructure like internationalised domain names and the next generation internet, IPv6.
Ensuring the right to development should become more integral to debates over intellectual property policy, said members of a panel last week. The World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda will play a crucial role in ensuring this integration if it happens, they added.
Informal negotiations appeared to bring the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property within reach of consensus on a coordination mechanism for the Development Agenda early this morning, but this afternoon governments were unable to overcome remaining differences.
How to achieve effective technology transfer stirred up discussion this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and IP (CDIP). Meanwhile, members are conducting informal negotiations to bridge differences over what kind of mechanism is needed to coordinate the Development Agenda as a whole.
Systematic and sustained programmes aimed at identifying and supporting African innovative talent may be a key part of Africa’s technological evolution, according to researchers and young entrepreneurs interviewed by Intellectual Property Watch. In the second part of a two-part series highlighting innovation challenges in Africa, Intellectual Property Watch focuses on harnessing and nurturing African innovation talent.
ALEXANDRIA - Dining on fresh fish beneath a golden sunset overlooking the Mediterranean beneath which lie the remains of the ancient Library of Alexandria, the conversation turns to the invention of written language. A light-hearted debate breaks out between an Egyptian and a Syrian over the origins of the first alphabet several thousand years ago, but is left for the time being when the Syrian asserts, “We invented the alphabet, you invented writing.”