Original news and analysis on international IP policy
A number of patents on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture will expire in the coming years and this could be a problem for the biotechnology industry in terms of regulatory authorisations. A private sector initiative has recently been launched to address the issue.
The 15th IP Law Summit, produced by Marcus Evans, is scheduled for 21-23 March in Colorado Springs, Colorado, US. Gathering corporate senior IP Counsel together with service providers, the Summit will offer a focused discussion of cutting-edge technology, strategy and products driving the IP marketplace.
The high-level Munich Security Conference this weekend saw a considerable push for going forward with a Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA). Both US Vice-President Joe Biden and German Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle said such an agreement is within reach. But according to experts, negotiations also could re-open discussions on intellectual property protection.
Plant variety protection has raised concerns in Africa and in Latin America, and further developments are expected in 2013.
Copies made by end-users for private purposes in the context of a service previously licensed by copyright holders don't cause harm that should be subject to private copying levies on reproduction devices such as MP3 players, blank DVDs and photocopiers, a European Commission-appointed mediator said in recommendations published on 31 January. António Vitorino suggested major changes to Europe's copy levy system to align it with the digital world, but said at a press briefing that “there is still some way to go” to bring stakeholder positions together.
The European Commission's claims of support for development cooperation contrast with budget cuts for aid, raising doubts about the EU’s real will and ability to address today’s overall challenges and push for inclusive and sustainable development, writes Daniele Dionisio.
Intellectual property professionals speaking at the University of Geneva last week discussed the challenges faced by companies and legislators in the domain of trade secrets. Topics addressed included the impact globalisation has on the protection of trade secrets, the need for an harmonised regime at the European level, and the need to rethink the place of trade secrets in the current international IP regime.
The European Commission has proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s 1995 data protection rules to strengthen online privacy rights and boost Europe’s digital economy.
A video interview on EU data protection reform with Jan Philipp Albrecht, the European Parliament rapporteur on the General Data Protection Regulation, posted by EU policy broadcaster viEUws, is available here.
A US technology industry report released Friday presents data showing that the entertainment industry has grown by 50 percent in the past decade with increased consumer spending, despite continuous calls by industry for greater protection of their intellectual property rights due to economic difficulty.
US internet giant Google has released a report showing a steady climb in government surveillance online, which a tech industry group called "disturbing". The report, which covered from July through December of last year, includes more details than in the past, but does not include content takedowns, which now will be the subject of an upcoming separate report.
Manila, Philippines – The Philippine Supreme Court has begun to hear and weigh the arguments on the constitutionality of a controversial law listing punishable activities on the internet. Its implementation was suspended last year amid mounting criticism that, among other things, the law curtails freedom of speech and harks the country back to the almost a decade of repressive martial rule in the 1970s.
United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk has announced his departure from office in late February.