European Court Upholds Confidentiality In International Treaty Talks
The Second Chamber of the European General Court in a judgment today strengthened confidentiality rules in international treaty negotiations.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Europe
Samsung Lawyer Assesses IP Legal Battle With Apple
Cape Town, South Africa - Professor Charles Gielen, an insider in the epic design war between Apple and Samsung, has described the hostile standoff between the two corporate giants as a shape-shifting space for intellectual property laws following the different interpretations of IP law the case has evoked from the courts.
Nearly 50 Groups Demand IPRs Out Of EU-US FTA
Upwards of 50 civil society groups have issued a declaration asking for the exclusion of all forms of intellectual property rights from the upcoming Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the United States. They raised significant concerns about the potential effect of IP rights’ inclusion on the public interest in the countries involved.
Practitioners Discuss Interconnection Between Professional Sports And IP
A recent conference of AROPI (Association Romande de Propriété Intellectuelle), an association of intellectual property practitioners in French-speaking Switzerland, examined how sports and IP interact.
Pirate Bay Loses Its Appeal To European Court Of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in a judgment today rejected the appeal of Pirate Bay founders Fredrik Neij and Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi (application no. 40397/12) to the Court.
EPO Advisory Board Makes Recommendations For Patent System: Patent Quality Is Key
The year-old Economic and Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) of the European Patent Office has concluded a one-year study of patent thickets, quality and fees, finding that many problems in the patent system could addressed by better patent quality. This means it is not necessary make a fee adjustment or have a major overhaul of the patent system at this time, it said.
On Plant Patents, EPO President Backs Industry, Disregards EU Parliament, Group Says
A civil society coalition fighting patents on conventional plants in Europe has published a briefing paper alleging that the European Patent Office is giving a "green light" to patents on plants and animals, disregarding the position of the European Parliament.
Swiss Perspectives On The Success Of Its National Innovation Model
Swiss innovation is internationally recognised for its high quality, and the reasons may derive from its fiscal system, labour market, research and development (R&D) model and education policy, a senior Swiss official has said.
European Patent Office Reports Record Patent Filings In 2012
The European Patent Office today announced that 2012 saw a new record for patent filings in the office, and equating the rise to Europe’s “innovative powers”. But while 36.5 per cent of applications came from Europe, the fastest growth was in applications from Asia, particularly China, Korea and Japan. Korean firm Samsung took top honours for most filings, the first time for an Asian company, and a Chinese company, ZTE, broke into the top 10 for the first time.
Russia Establishes Specialised Court For Intellectual Property Rights
As of 1 February 2013, a specialised court for intellectual property rights (the IPR Court) is instituted within the system of commercial (‘arbitrazh’) courts of the Russian Federation.
European Copyright Reform On Slow Track, Observers Say
European talks aimed at dragging copyright law into the digital age are not likely to produce results any time soon because of resistance from rights holders and political manoeuvring in the European Commission, players from the internet service provider and consumer sectors say. But the Commission said while it's true that changes could take several years, there will be regulation if needed.
Recording Industry Sees New “Buzz” From Digital Revenues
The major recording industry association has released its annual report for 2012, announcing a 9 per cent increase in revenues from digital sales of music, with licensed music services on the rise. It also said it benefits most in countries where internet service providers have worked to drive down use of unauthorised music download sites.