Category Enforcement

EU Copyright Reform Proposal Clears Lead Legislative Committee, To Cheers And Jeers

The European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) adopted its report on the European Commission-proposed copyright in the digital single market directive yesterday. The vote, by the lead committee vetting the proposal, sparked a continuation of the acrimonious debate that has raged for many months over several controversial provisions: The creation of a new right for online publishers and a requirement that Internet platforms monitor users’ uploads for copyright infringements. The narrow majority that approved the report by German Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Axel Voss, of the European People’s Party, “suggests that the struggle is still long,” telecom consultant Innocenzo Genna blogged.

Прекратить неавторизованный доступ к генетическим ресурсам (а именно, Биопиратство): принцип ограниченной открытости

«Доступ к генетическим ресурсам» и «справедливое и честное распределение выгод от их использования» были камнем предкновения на всех тринадцати Конференциях сторон-участников Соглашения Организации Объединенных Наций от 1993 года о Биологическом разнoобразии (CBD). Слова в кавычках составляют третью задачу договора, которая переплетена с двумя первыми, а именно с задачей консервации и устойчивого использования. По первым буквам английского названия эта задача сокращенно обозначается как «ABS». Несмотря на 25 лет усилий и при размерах био-экономики порядка 1 триллиона долларов [1], было заключено немного контрактов [2]. И в этом малом количестве контрактов денежная часть так незначительна, что их участники не пожелали ее обнародовать. «Закон ABS Бразилии» от 2015, который вошел в силу 6 ноября 2017, позволяет чтобы отчисления от суммы продаж составляли всего одну десятую процента[3]. Используя выражение известного ученого-законоведа, потребитель платит «пшик» авторам биоресурсов.

US Imposes USD 50B In Tariffs On China For Forced IP/Tech Practices, Cybertheft

The United States today released a list of products imported from China to the US on which additional tariffs will be placed as a measure aimed at pressuring China to change its practices the US says force US companies to give up intellectual property and transfer technology. Some industries have been dropped from the list such as pharmaceuticals, while a second list has now been announced, officials told reporters this morning.

Countries Discuss Prospect Of Plurilateral Agreement On Genetic Resources Protection

Faced with a longstanding lack of progress at the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization on the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, some developing countries are examining the possibility of moving outside the multilateral system toward a plurilateral agreement with like-minded countries. During an international conference last week, panellists pondered the prospects of such an option.

Indigenous Peoples Seek Involvement In WTO To Defend Rights (Video)

Indigenous peoples are losing their genetic resources and traditional knowledge and need to be involved in negotiations on World Trade Organization intellectual property rules and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, representatives told a conference on the subject last week. In a podcast and video interview with Intellectual Property Watch below, the indigenous representatives explain their case.

En finir avec l’accès aux ressources génétiques sans autorisation (c’est-à-dire avec la biopiraterie): « l’ouverture limitée »

L' « accès aux ressources génétiques » et le « partage juste et équitable des avantages découlant de leur utilisation » s’est révelé un véritable casse-tête pour l’ensemble des 13 Conférences des Parties à la Convention des Nations Unies sur la Diversité Biologique (CDB). La formule, entre guillemets, qu’on désigne par l’acronyme « APA », se réfère au troisième objectif de la Convention, lequel est étroitement liée aux deux premiers, à savoir la conservation et l’utilisation durable de ces ressources. Malgré 25 années consécutives d’efforts et dans un contexte où le marché de la biotechnologie représente, annuellement, un trillion de dollars, peu d’accords APA ont été conclus jusqu’ici. Les bénéfices monétaires des quelques contrats existants sont si faibles que les contractants répugnent à les dévoiler. La « législation APA brésilienne » de 2015, qui est entrée en vigueur le 6 novembre 2017, permet par exemple d’offrir des royalties jusqu’à un dixième de pour cent du chiffre d’affaire. Selon les termes d’un éminent juriste: « les usagers paient des cacachuètes pour se servir de la biodiversité ».

Pondo termo ao acesso não autorizado aos recursos genéticos (quer dizer, biopirataria): acesso aberto limitado

O “acesso aos recursos genéticos” e a “participação justa e equitativa dos benefícios provenientes de sua utilização” vêm aturdindo delegados e delegações das 13 Conferências das Partes da Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre Diversidade Biológica, que entrou em vigor no ano de 1993. A expressão entre aspas conhecida pela sigla em inglês “ABS” é o terceiro objetivo do Convênio e se encontra entrelaçada pelos dois primeiros objetivos que são a conservação e o uso sustentável. Apesar de 25 anos de esforços e de uma bioeconomia de quase um trilhão de dólares, são muito poucos os contratos celebrados. Desses poucos, os benefícios monetários são tão baixos que as partes contratantes relutam em revelá-los. A “Lei brasileira de ABS” de 2015, que entrou em vigor no dia 6 de novembro de 2017 permite, por exemplo, a obtenção de royalties sobre vendas líquidas tão baixos que isso implica a celebração de contratos pela bagatela de uma décima parte de um por cento. Citando as palavras de um jurista erudito, os Usuários pagam “uma miséria pela biodiversidade”.

IP, AI, Health Commitments Mere Footnotes In Quarrel Between G6 And Trump?

Leaders at the G7 Summit tried to mitigate tensions by taking on some US favourites in their final communiqué like “forced technology transfers,” a topic brought up only recently by the United States at the World Trade Organisation. Forced technology transfers, according to US diplomats, are licensing and administrative rules entertained by China to oblige foreign firms to share technology in exchange for gaining access to the Chinese market. They also had sought to agree on a vision for artificial intelligence, a range of health issues, and foreign cyber interference with elections.

TRIPS Council Debates IP Improving Lives, Competition Law To Increase Medicines Access

Whether intellectual property rights are improving lives or whether they should be reined in by tools such as competition law to increase access to medicine, education, and innovation, was debated this week at the World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property. Also on the agenda was a suggestion by least-developed countries to create incentives for developed country companies and institutions to transfer technologies for the benefit of the poorest countries.