Category Regional Policy

US Federal Circuit May Offer Patent, Tech Policy Guidance For High Court

WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Federal Circuit Court of Appeals should act more like a teacher to the Supreme Court and do a better job explaining its policy reasoning when it makes decisions on innovation-related cases, a top patent law academic said late Tuesday. If the Federal Circuit was clearer in how it landed at certain conclusions in patent disputes it might result in the Supreme Court opting to get involved in fewer patent cases, said Rochelle Dreyfuss, a professor at New York University School of Law.

Winter Casey
October 23, 2009
1 Comment

French HADOPI Law, Now Complete, Can Brandish Its Weapons

The French Constitutional Council yesterday gave its ruling about the constitutionality of a French bill aiming to protect literary and artistic intellectual property rights online, and decided that the bill was in conformity with the French Constitution, asking only for…

Catherine Saez
October 23, 2009
5 Comments

Kappos’ Early Days At USPTO: Many Changes, Few Funds

Reform of the United States patent system, better patent quality and greater international cooperation among patent offices are just a few of the jobs new United States Patent and Trademark Office chief David Kappos has on his plate.

Dugie Standeford
October 23, 2009
1 Comment

Spurring Local Innovation In Africa By Improving Access To Information

Greater awareness of the existence of open access information resources for innovation and making the information easily accessible and relevant to developing country users could help spur innovation in these countries, according to top technical assistance providers and local innovators.

Robinson Esalimba, William New and Robinson Esalimba, William New
October 19, 2009
1 Comment

How The “Machine-Or-Transformation” Test In Bilski Is Failing

Charles Macedo and Norajean McCaffrey write that in the upcoming Supreme Court case on the Bilksi “machine-or-transformation” test, the Federal Circuit departed from Supreme Court precedent, and they suggest how to put the law of patent-eligible subject matter back on track.

European Union Prepares A New Intellectual Property Rights Strategy

Intellectual property rights and their protection will be high on the agenda of the European institutions in the upcoming legislature, representatives from the European Commission, European Council and the European Parliament said at the first European Innovation Summit in Brussels yesterday. Stronger IP rights (IPR) protection was declared by representatives of all three institutions as indispensable to promote innovation and the knowledge society, while only a few voices were raised asking not to overreach in IPR regulation.

Monika Ermert
October 15, 2009
5 Comments

Pour les experts, l’accès à des médicaments sûrs est une question de santé publique et non de propriété intellectuelle

Selon les participants à un récent événement organisé par Open Society Institute, les initiatives de lutte contre la contrefaçon pourraient limiter l’accès aux traitements sans pour autant réduire le problème des médicaments contrefaits, en particulier dans les pays en développement.

Catherine Saez
October 15, 2009
1 Comment

专家组：获取安全药品是公共卫生问题而非知识产权问题

在最近由开放社会协会（Open Society Institute）主办的一次会议上，与会专家表示，反假冒倡议可能阻碍人们获得药品，但无法解决假药问题，在发展中国家尤其如此。

Catherine Saez
October 15, 2009

Grupo de expertos considera que el acceso a los medicamentos seguros es una cuestión de salud pública y no de propiedad intelectual

Las iniciativas de lucha contra la falsificación podrían dificultar el acceso a los medicamentos sin que se logre paliar el problema de los fármacos falsificados, en particular en los países en desarrollo, según dijeron miembros de un grupo de expertos en un evento organizado recientemente por el Open Society Institute.

Catherine Saez
October 14, 2009

WTO Forum: Bypassing International Agreements May Hamper Medicines Access

Access to medicines in developing countries may be put at risk by European customs regulations and more broadly by trade provisions in most free trade agreements between developed and developing countries, said speakers at the recent World Trade Organization Public Forum.

Catherine Saez
October 11, 2009
1 Comment

Council Of Europe Weighs Future; Drafts Counterfeit Medicines Convention

Sixty years after its foundation, the Council of Europe is reconsidering its role and place in the architecture of European institutions. One new development is the drafting of a convention against medicines counterfeiting.

Monika Ermert
October 9, 2009

Iceland Panel: French ‘3-Strike’ Rule Spreading But Not Best Option

COPENHAGEN - A panel discussing the copyright challenges posed by social media at a recent conference in Iceland concluded that while new and stricter regulations as proposed in France may not be a bad idea, the best solution is to provide consumers with quality services for which they are willing to pay. Meanwhile, there are new developments at the European level.