Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Representatives of industry and the public as well as intellectual property law experts are puzzled by the ongoing secrecy under which negotiations on the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) are being held. The…
By Kaitlin Mara Intellectual property is the last real comparative advantage that rich countries have, said a panellist at a recent International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) joint event. This…
By William New Intellectual property issues are progressing slowly and quietly on the sidelines of the World Trade Organization ministerial as prospects for an agreement on broader issues remain tense and uncertain, according to sources. Ways to proceed on IP…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A groundbreaking agreement between the UK government, major internet service providers (ISPs) and the music and film industries could signal that efforts to engage ISPs in fighting digital copyright piracy are gaining momentum.…
By William New The prospect for an agreement to negotiate on three intellectual property issues at the World Trade Organization has dimmed considerably, with no further meetings with delegations likely on Sunday, according to officials. A possible proposal is circulating…
Monika Ermert pour Intellectual Property Watch Contrairement à ce que les négociateurs européens avaient affirmé au sujet du temps nécessaire pour peaufiner l’Accord commercial anti-contrefaçon (ACAC), les pays semblent à présent prêts à accélérer les négociations. La question de l’ACAC…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is meeting with industry groups and intellectual property experts to determine how to strike just the right balance on industrial design protection in the United States.
In the US, design patents can protect the ornamental appearance of manufactured items such as cars. These differ from utility patents, which provide protection for the innovative, functional aspects of a product as embodied in the structure or operation of the product. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) often spend millions, if not billions, of dollars creating unique and distinctive designs for their products, whether they be strollers, mobile phones, household appliances or clothing.
But recent moves by the European Union in loosening patent protection for car repair parts, specifically, has gotten some attention in the United States, as has a legislative bill sponsored by Representative Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California). So the USPTO wants to round up ideas and opinions on market effects of such actions, particularly when this country has seen an "incremental increase in design applications" being filed - about 5,000 more in 2007 than in 2003.
Por Monika Ermert para Intellectual Property Watch A pesar de las declaraciones anteriores de negociadores europeos que sostenían que se necesitaría más tiempo para realizar las adaptaciones necesarias al planificado Acuerdo Comercial de Lucha contra la Falsificación (ACTA, por su…
Par Wagdy Sawahel pour Intellectual Property Watch Dans une invitation à renforcer la collaboration régionale dans les domaines de l’industrie de la création, du droit d’auteur et des droits connexes, dix-sept ministres africains de l’art et de la culture, ont…
By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch
An important court case in the ongoing saga between two of the mobile industry's most influential technology firms begins next week.
The case is a crucial stage in the ongoing disagreement between the two equipment manufacturers - Finnish Nokia and US Qualcomm - that has become increasingly acrimonious over recent years and resulted in numerous patent infringement cases all over the world.