Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Over the objections of eight countries, ministers from the European Union on Monday extended copyright protection for performers and record producers from 50 to 70 years. The move brought cheers from the recording industry and copyright royalty collecting societies, but doubts from some governments and jeers from a major consumer group.
A new multi-stakeholder declaration demanding that the public interest be returned to intellectual property rights was issued this week and is open for signatures by anyone, already collecting hundreds of supporters. The declaration contains numerous principles and actions, such as restraint in enforcement, open access, and development priorities, that the drafters hope will help change the course of IP policymaking.
A grand jury in the United States has charged website Ninjavideo.net with criminal copyright conspiracy for allowing large-scale unauthorised movie downloads, the US Justice Department announced today.
The United States Chamber of Commerce this week released a letter urging the US government to take a series of steps to boost jobs in America, including passing controversial legislation to allow the US to unilaterally crack down on international websites it deems to be in violation of US intellectual property rights. But not everyone agrees this is the best approach.
In recognition of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the secretary of the United Nations on 9 August raised the complex issue of intellectual property rights and indigenous knowledge. The Director General of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization also issued a message straddling the issue of IP rights and community ownership of traditional knowledge and resources.
Across the world, the Caribbean is renowned for its unique flavors in music and entertainment, its beaches, cricket, and its commonly acclaimed fun and sun. While these are well-deserved, and are sources of just pride, this common perception provides foliage which bars the examination and explanation of the real problems and needs in intellectual property in the Caribbean, writes attorney Abiola Inniss.
India and the European Union announced a written agreement yesterday that puts more conditions on EU customs authorities before they can stop shipments of generic pharmaceuticals passing through Europe. No longer is the existence of an EU patent on passing generics sufficient cause to stop shipments. The agreement suspends a World Trade Organization dispute started by India last year.
The UN World Intellectual Property Organization yesterday invited a panel of international film producers and star Spanish actor Javier Bardem to sing the praise of an international treaty to help the audiovisual industry address the problem of unauthorised downloads of content that is a hallmark of the digital age.
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.
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.
India has at least seven diverse intellectual property (IP) legislations related to protection already in place. Its focus should therefore arguably be directed - along the lines of many other IP jurisdictions - on more stringent enforcement modus operandi of the IP rights. Is there scope for introducing yet another IP legislation – the utility model protection law - in the Indian IP landscape and if so, what should be its scope and implication, asks Swarup Kumar.
The role and responsibility of internet intermediaries in the protection of copyright is under debate in several policy fora and often brings up issues such as privacy, access to knowledge, and freedom of expression. A panel was organised last week at the World Intellectual Property Organization to explore the viewpoints of several but not all stakeholders on this issue.