Pointed Exchange Of Views At WHO Briefing On Counterfeit Drugs
Work to address counterfeit medicines continues at the World Health Organization, but a meeting late last week revealed ongoing concerns about the way it is being conducted.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Enforcement
Leaked ACTA Text Shows Possible Contradictions With National Laws
“No changes in domestic” law promised the partners currently negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. A leaked 56-page recent consolidated version of the much-discussed agreement shows that this might not be completely true. The draft version with a lot of bracketed text in it shows that some countries are more open about the potential need to change their domestic laws than others.
EU To Request Publication Of ACTA Documents To Stop “Rumours”; Civil Society Meeting Planned
Europe will request the publication of the current drafts for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) at the next ACTA negotiating meeting in New Zealand in April, EU trade official Luc Devigne said today.
Speaking at the third EU stakeholder meeting on the hotly debated ACTA today in Brussels, Devigne also said there is also a meeting with civil society planned to take place alongside the New Zealand round.
China Tells WTO: Obligations Fulfilled On IP Dispute Case
China on Friday briefed the World Trade Organization on improvements in its intellectual property rights enforcement needed to bring it into compliance with a dispute settlement decision made last year.
Forest Group Decision Has Led To Great Rise In Patent Marking Lawsuits
The recent Forest Group case decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has made it more financially viable for plaintiffs to sue for under the false marking patent statute (35 U.S.C. § 292). However, legislation currently before Congress, as well as another patent marking case to be decided by the CAFC in the near future, Pequignot v. Solo Cup, may level the playing field more towards defendants in such lawsuits.
Influential EU Industry Group Urges Stronger IP Focus In Trade Relations
Greater emphasis should be placed on intellectual property issues in the European Union’s trade relations with developing countries, a leading employers group has recommended.
The US-Cotton Case — The Truth Behind Brazil’s Cross-Retaliation Against US Intellectual Property
In a recent speech at the Export-Import Bank's annual conference, US President Obama said the US Trade Representative will use its "full arsenal" to combat "practices that blatantly harm" US businesses, and that includes "enforcing existing [US] agreements." The question is: will the US comply with its multilateral obligations under the WTO agreement in the US-Brazil cotton case, says Brazilian academic Pedro Paranaguá.
2009 Tough For International Trademark Filings; 2010 Looking Up
International trademark filings plummeted in 2009 but trends should be reversed as the global economy regains strength with signs already showing in 2010, World Intellectual Property Organization’s Director General Francis Gurry said today.
New US Broadband Internet Plan Scrutinised; Cybersecurity Bill Includes IP
The United States Federal Communications Commission’s newly released plan to expand broadband internet access within the country was well-received from several sides of the digital rights debate, with some questions. Separately, a new cybersecurity bill introduced in the US Congress today includes measures to protect intellectual property rights.
European Broadcasters Call For Easier Copyright Clearance For Online Content
European Union copyright law needs to be amended so that the clearance of copyrights is simplified for online content, the European Broadcasting Union said today. The group presented the results of an analysis it conducted today at the European Parliament in Brussels.
US On International Trade Crusade With New Agenda
The recently released US annual trade agenda shows an intention to conquer new international markets, strengthen the global trade system and enforce obligations and US intellectual property rights. The US also means to address what they consider as trade barriers. [Update: President Obama spoke on the trade agenda today, more below.]
European Parliament Votes To Rein In Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty
The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favour of a demand to be kept fully informed about the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement under negotiation by the European Commission and about a dozen countries outside Europe. Parliament also opposed controversial provisions such as personal searches at European borders and cutting internet access for anyone found infringing copyright online three times.