Intellectual Property
NGOs Fight Intellectual Property Rights
December 19, 2012
IP attaches stationed around the world by the US Patent and Trademark Office report that non-governmental organizations are playing a substantial role in attempting to undermine rights to intellectual property.WIPO Official Argues for Rules-Based International Intellectual Property System
October 2, 2012
In a speech to the annual Assemblies of World Intellectual Property Organization member states, Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO, said that new economic and technological realities require that a system of international rules on intellectual property be put in place in order to encourage innovation and create an "even playing field" among competitors.Pharma Consultant Criticizes Merger of Policy Function into CSR Function
September 12, 2012
In a recent post on PharmExecBlog, Susan Crowley, a former Merck executive who now advises companies on global issues, explains the short-sightedness of the recent trend toward shifting responsibility for corporate global policy development and advocacy to corporate social responsibility departments that do not understand, and are not trained to adequately address, the complicated policy issues arising in the global economy.MEPs Reject Controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty
July 17, 2012
Last week, MEPs voted down the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the goal of which is to establish international standards for intellectual property rights enforcementHRC Resolution Challenges Intellectual Property Rights Protections
July 11, 2012
At its 20th Session, the UN Human Rights Council supported recommendations made by the UN Special Rapporteur for Cultural Diversity that would shift the present approach to the protection of intellectual property to a "minimalist" approach that would treat IP as a "public good."U.S. Lawmakers Defy Call for UN-led Internet Governance
June 6, 2012
At a hearing in Washington, DC, of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communication and Technology last week, there was bipartisan criticism of recent calls by Russia, China, and other countries to expand the UN International Telecommunication Union treaty to include internet governance.Treaty Review Process Could Lead to Global Internet Governance
May 14, 2012
Observers are warning that the coming changes to the International Telecommunication Regulations ("ITRs") treaty could lead to a global Internet governance system.ECJ Deals Blow to Computer Software Copyright Protection
May 9, 2012
The European Court of Justice ruled last week that certain functional characteristics of computer software are not eligible for copyright protection, thereby permitting users to examine the programs and clone the functionality components.EU Launches Tool for "Climate Adaptation" Policy-Making
March 28, 2012
The European Environment Agency is implementing the European Climate Adaptation Platform, a web-based platform designed to support policy-makers at EU, national, regional and local levels in "the development of climate change adaptation measures and policies."Proposed UN-led International Treaty Threatens Internet Freedom
February 22, 2012
A new treaty giving the United Nations, through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), unprecedented control over the Internet is being pushed in Geneva by dozens of countries, including Russia and China, which aim to reach this goal by year's end.A JOINT PROGRAM OF
