Category Europe

Aid Package For Theseus Web 3.0 Project May Need Boost

By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch
The European Commission's recent approval of a €120-million state aid package granted to a German research project called Theseus for the development of "Web 3.0" drew a lot of media attention. However, the grant's sum is but a fraction of the R&D budgets of the world's leading consumer Internet technology firms.

According to the project's spokesman, Thomas Huber, the project's aim is nothing less than "fundamentally transforming the existing Internet." A reinvention of the Internet and the intellectual property rights associated with such a feat would require billion-dollar annual research and development budgets, according to Rob Enderle, president and founder of the California-based Enderle Group analyst firm.

EU Copyright Levies Extend To New Media As Harmonisation Lags

By Alicia Martin-Santos and Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
European Union countries are imposing copyright levies on a whole new range of digital media, including digital music players, USB flash sticks, hard drives and, potentially, mobile phones and wireless connections, as efforts to harmonise Europe's heterogeneous copyright landscape continue to languish.

Copyright levies are imposed on blank material (such as blank CDs, DVDs or paper) or digital recording media (used to store digital content) in order to compensate authors for end-users' private copying. They first appeared in the 1960s and were charged on paper, photocopying equipment and tapes. New recording media, such as mp3 players (like iPods) or even mobile phones are being examined for potential levying.

Les accords bilatéraux entre l’UE et les pays en développement suscitent des inquiétudes

Par David Cronin pour Intellectual Property Watch BRUXELLES – L’inquiétude grandit en Europe et dans les pays en développement concernant la possibilité qu’un certain nombre d’accords de libre échange qui devraient être signés dans le courant de l’année contienne des…

Preocupan los acuerdos bilaterales entre la UE y países en desarrollo

Por David Cronin para Intellectual Property Watch BRUSELAS – Aumenta la preocupación tanto en Europa como en los países en desarrollo sobre si diversos acuerdos de libre comercio, cuya firma está programada para finales del presente año, contendrán normas demasiado…

Concern Rises Over EU Bilaterals With Developing Countries

By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – Concern is growing in both Europe and developing countries about whether a series of free trade agreements slated for signature later this year will contain overly stringent rules on intellectual property.…

EU Microsoft Judgment Sparks IP Law Debate

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
A European Commission ruling and record fine was upheld Monday against US software giant Microsoft for breaching European antitrust laws in a judgment that will have repercussions for intellectual property owners far beyond the case itself, experts said.

The European Court of First Instance upheld the �497 million fine and the 2004 ruling by the Commission that Microsoft had, among other things, refused access to rivals to IP-protected information needed for developing interoperable products.

EU Split Arises Over Thai Effort To Obtain Cheaper Patented Drugs

By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch A dispute has erupted between two of the European Union’s most powerful institutions over Thailand’s decision to circumvent pharmaceutical patents in order to boost its supply of cheap medicines. Peter Mandelson, who holds…

Germany: Fight Escalates Over Copyright Fee For Computers

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch The fight between German collecting rights societies and hardware companies is escalating. This week the CEO of the society for musical performing and mechanical reproduction rights, Harald Heker, heavily criticised the German Association…