Near-Finished Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Pact Could Have Broad Reach

The countries that own most of the world’s intellectual property rights have all but completed an agreement among themselves that raises the level of protection of those rights while appearing to reduce obligations placed on rights holders. Now they’ll need to find ways to apply it to the countries of the world seen as responsible for much of the infringing material.

A Rights-Poor Protocol For Biodiversity Access & Benefit-Sharing

A leading indigenous negotiator for a UN protocol on biodiversity access and benefit sharing says the process will likely yield a highly diluted, rights-poor protocol and that Indigenous Peoples' negotiating leverage is slipping.

US Seeks Comments on Internet Access and Copyright

The Internet Policy Task Force of the United States Commerce Department today issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking comment from any interested stakeholders - including rights holders, internet service providers, and consumers - on the "protection of copyrighted works online and the relationship between copyright law and innovation in the internet economy."

ACTA: No More Negotiating Rounds Planned; Latest Text To Be Released

The round of negotiations in Tokyo last week on the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) will be the last in the several-year long process to come to a final agreement, negotiators have said. The latest text - along with highlighted issue areas on which certain countries still have reservations - will be released before the end of the week, negotiators told Intellectual Property Watch.