Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The Motion Picture Association of America has provided a list to the US Trade Representative's office of the global websites and other sources the US film group says are the most copyright-infringing in the world.
The government of Antigua and Barbuda is said to be taking steps to set up a platform to allow the tiny Caribbean nation to monetise or otherwise take advantage of the suspension of US intellectual property rights, as it is permitted to do by a World Trade Organization dispute panel. The WTO panel had ruled that Antigua could make up its loss in IP rights for US measures blocking Antiguan online gambling in the US.
The European Parliament is showing some teeth again. Following the ongoing revelations of mass surveillance by US intelligence agencies, the Parliament plenary today passed a resolution calling on the EU Commission to temporarily suspend all data transfers according to the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) with the United States Treasury Department.
How sensitive is US trade? Perhaps as an indication of its approach to the press, the United States Trade Representative's office yesterday published its weekly "press week ahead" full of events that would be of interest to domestic and international press - and 100 percent closed to press.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued its draft strategic plan for 2014-2018 and is asking for comments.
A new study of 12 leading international standard-setting organisations (SSOs) found a high degree of inconsistency and lack of clarity when it comes to intellectual property rights and licensing. The study also includes analyses on how standards policies are evolving in Brazil, China and India.
A hearing to consider a United States government "green paper" as part of the ongoing reform of the US copyright system has been moved to 12 December due to the government shutdown.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday approved the US International Trade Commission’s ban on imports of certain electronics from Samsung, based in part on the fact that the patents in the case do not involve standard essential patents (SEPs). By contrast, concern over SEPs was a big reason for the recent White House decision to overturn a USITC finding that Apple had violated Samsung’s patents.
The US government shutdown is now in its second week, causing more and more of the country’s intellectual property regime to grind to a halt. The shutdown’s effects also are rippling overseas, hindering US efforts to negotiate two major international trade deals containing significant IP provisions.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has helped to outline the process for public comments and participation in the ongoing reform to the US copyright system. The focal point for discussion is a "green" paper issued in July, on which a hearing is scheduled this month.
A newly awarded patent on a process allowing parents to choose genetic traits from prospective donors for their children is creating a buzz in the United States and beyond.
The innovative capacities of countries cannot be measured with a simplistic matrix, taking only into account the number of patents or the research and development expenditures, said a World Intellectual Property Organization official. Meanwhile, WIPO’s views were buttressed by an expert from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.