Brand Owners Seek Their Own ICANN Constituency Group

Brand owners that have applied with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for their brand’s top level domain (TLD) are seeking to create their own constituency group.

WIPO Hails India’s Accession To Trademark System; India Advocates Balance

A full room of country delegates and ambassadors gathered yesterday to celebrate the accession of India to the Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks at the World Intellectual Property Organization. However, beyond the joy of accession, the recent decision of the Indian Supreme Court on a Novartis drug patent loomed in the room.

ICANN CEO Wants To Shift “Centre Of Gravity” Away From US

In an effort to improve internationalisation, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will open hubs in Singapore and Istanbul, to serve the Asia-Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa respectively. ICANN's headquarters in Los Angeles will become the hub serving the Americas.

At ICANN: More Contractual Obligations For New TLD Operators?

Members of the Government Advisory Committee (GAC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are pushing for additional contractual clauses for applicants of new generic top-level domains (TLDs).

North American Universities Seen Failing To Promote Socially Responsible Licensing

A student group is holding top research universities in the US and Canada accountable for how much they are – or are not – contributing to global public health. According to a recently released report by Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a non-profit organisation, most institutions are falling short when it comes to investing in neglected diseases and promoting access to medicines.

African Regional Plant Variety Protection Draft Legislation Raises Protest

A draft protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants proposed by an inter-governmental African regional economic community is provoking the ire of civil society concerned about the potential impact of the protocol on small farmers, and the lack of consultation of farmers.

The Judgment In Novartis v. India: What The Supreme Court Of India Said

Following the Indian Supreme Court decision in Novartis AG v. Union of India, Prof. Frederick Abbott says, "the judgment is well-crafted, with close attention to the facts presented, and appears to take a balanced view of the matters brought before the Court."

Six EU Countries Take Legal Action Against Google Over Privacy

The Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL), the French privacy body, said this week in a statement that it will take legal action against Google after the search engine failed to implement changes to its privacy policies. They were joined by data protection agencies from five other European countries.

US Trade Office Calls For Comments On Transatlantic Trade Deal

Another step toward launching negotiations on a European Union-United States trade agreement has been made as the Office of the US Trade Representative filed a request for comments on the deal and announced a forthcoming public hearing.

Linguistic Diversity Essential For Innovation, Development, Roundtable Speakers Say

Multilingualism not only expands cultural horizons but also provides a tool for innovation, speakers gathered at an international roundtable yesterday said. However, language uniformity is a tempting road taken by many - often for cost-related reasons - while multilingualism should be promoted as a factor in development, they said.