Category Regional Policy

USTR Plans Another Year Of Elevating IP Protection With Trading Partners

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) last week delivered to Congress its 2008 National Trade Estimate Report (NTE), which includes many intellectual property-related challenges in 62 trading partners around…

UK IP Chief: Copyright System A “Constant Conflict”

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
The copyright system is not a balance but a "constant conflict" whose nature must be continually debated, UK Intellectual Property Office Chief Executive Ian Fletcher said at a recent seminar on the future of copyright. The office is in the throes of a consultation on possible new copyright law exceptions, the most controversial of which is a proposal to allow limited format-shifting.

New National-Level Programmes Echo WIPO Patent Treaty

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
NEW YORK - The Japanese Patent Office in April will introduce a new policy called JP-First, which aims to release patent examination results of applications first filed with the JPO to major patent offices throughout the world, including in some developing countries. The initiative and others could be steps toward allowing patent filers to bypass an established international treaty on patents, sources said. Also at the event, government officials and academics also discussed copyright developments in Canada. US experts argued that Canada is not doing its part to crack down on piracy, while the Canadians said they are actually setting the bar in some areas in terms of protecting copyrighted works.

Faible mouvement de protestation contre la révision de la loi suisse sur le droit d’auteur

Par Catherine Saez Les nouvelles dispositions adoptées par la Suisse pour renforcer les droits des artistes interprètes, des producteurs et les diffuseurs en ligne apparaissent moins strictes que celles adoptées dans d’autres pays, selon certains observateurs. Pour certains activistes, toutefois,…

Revision of Swiss Copyright Law Raises Moderate Protest

By Catherine Saez
Switzerland has adopted a new copyright law strengthening the rights of performers, producers and copyright owners online that appears less stringent than similar legislation adopted in some peer countries, according to observers. Nevertheless, some activists still see the Swiss law as jeopardising users' rights.

Débat sur la neutralité du Net aux Etats-Unis : des implications sur la gouvernance mondiale de l’Internet

Par Liza Porteus Viana pour Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – Le débat sur la neutralité du réseau Internet fait rage aux Etats-Unis. Certains observateurs estiment que l’adoption d’une loi dans ce domaine pourrait permettre de définir des principes généraux…

US Senate Moves Toward Vote On Reform To Patent Regime

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Legislation for sweeping patent reform in the United States could see Senate floor action as soon as early April. Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat-Nevada, said the congressional body could consider S 1145 next…

El debate en EE.UU. sobre la neutralidad de Internet tiene consecuencias para la gobernanza mundial

Por Liza Porteus Viana para Intellectual Property Watch NUEVA YORK- El debate sobre la neutralidad de Internet se está agudizando en los Estados Unidos y algunos observadores dicen que si allí logra establecerse una norma legislativa, ésta podría servir en…