International Property Rights Newsletter – December 4 2015, N. 39
International Property Rights Newsletter – December 4 2015, N. 39
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NEWS
2015 International Property Rights Index officially launched
The Property Rights Alliance has officially launched the 2015 International Property Rights Index in Malaysia on November 16th. Click here for the executive summary or visit the website here: http://internationalpropertyrightsindex.org/
9th Annual IP Attaché Roundtable on December 15th, 2015
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) will host the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) IP Attachés from around the world to discuss the protection and enforcement of IP rights outside of the United States. For more information & RSVP please click here
North America
President Obama Signs Bill Recognizing Asteroid Resource Property Rights into Law
On Thursday, President Obama signed the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act into law, which grants companies the rights to whatever they manage to pluck out of these extraterrestrial bodies. The new Space Act of 2015 requires approval from the House of Representatives before moving on to President Obama. Meteorites – chunks that survive and fall to earth after asteroids disintegrate in the atmosphere – yield significant amounts of precious metals like platinum, rhodium, iridium, rhenium, osmium, ruthenium, palladium, germanium and gold. Continue Reading
Copyright Principles and Priorities to Foster a Creative Digital Marketplace
Over the course of the last two years, Congress has engaged in a comprehensive review of the Copyright Act. This is the first such review in nearly two generations, and it lays the groundwork for further inquiries and proposals regarding how the law might be amended and how the institution responsible for its administration—the U.S. Copyright Office— might be modernized and restructured to better support a thriving digital marketplace of unprecedented creativity and innovation. Continue Reading
Digital Ad Industry Will Gain $8.2 Billion By Eliminating Fraud And Flaws In Internet Supply Chain, IAB & EY Study Shows
Fraudulent impressions, infringed content, and malvertising cost the U.S. digital marketing, advertising, and media industry $8.2 billion annually. That money can be recouped if companies fix badly designed business processes and repair obvious flaws in the digital advertising supply chain, a new study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and EY shows. Continue Reading
YouTube Seeks Streaming Rights to TV Shows, Movies
YouTube is seeking streaming rights to TV series and movies to bolster its new subscription service, intensifying its rivalry with Netflix Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Hulu in the competitive market for online video. Continue Reading
NSA bulk phone surveillance program shutting down Sunday
The National Security Agency will no longer be allowed to collect phone metadata in bulk beginning Sunday, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The controversial surveillance program was shut down under the USA Freedom Act, signed by President Obama in early June, and has been in a six-month transition period that ends Nov. 29. Continue Reading
Kobe Bryant’s company files for trademarks linked to his final season
Kobe Bryant has taken an even bigger step into the business world on the heels of his officially announced retirement. Bryant’s company, Kobe Inc., which was incorporated in California in 2013, has filed for various trademarks that are linked to his own marketing campaign for his final season. Continue Reading
Game Companies and Intellectual Property Rights
We have been asked many times what game companies can do to protect their games, assets and IP. This is the first of a series of blog posts aiming to answer that question. We will start from the most fundamental matters. Legal affairs are often seen as complicated and time consuming. This conception is understandable, and even relatively correct in some cases, but for game companies the most essential issues are actually quite straight forward. The most important legal matter is the management of intellectual property rights (IPR). Continue Reading
Why Silicon Valley is heading right
A couple of years ago New York Magazine did some work on the political orientation of Silicon Valley in which they reported the big news that some of the giants of the tech world were – shock! horror! – moving to the right, albeit very tentatively. The irony is that this should be newsworthy since the evidence of a rightward trend was so very paltry. Continue Reading
Library of Congress, Copyright Office butt heads over IT vision
The Library of Congress took a critical step in hiring a chief information officer in September, a senior Government Accountability Office official told lawmakers. But, he said, it’s still unclear whether Library of Congress’ newly minted tech exec has the power to sort out the digital woes plaguing the agency. “It remains to be seen whether this position will have clear responsibility and adequate authority to drive needed improvements,” said Joel Willemssen, GAO’s managing director for information technology. Continue Reading
COPYRIGHT OFFICE NEEDS MORE TECH AND DATA EXPERTS
To keep pace with the demands of the digital age, the U.S. Copyright Office needs fewer file clerks and more techies, Maria Pallante, the office’s director, told lawmakers on Wednesday. “It used to be catalogers, now it needs to be technology and data [experts],” Pallante described the agency’s hiring needs. “I don’t know how we can administer the law without it.” Continue Reading
Europe
Trademark reform in Italy: a shift in focus
In what is a significant shift, impending EU trademark reforms in Italy will allow parties to challenge granted trademarks on both relative and absolute grounds. Luigi Manna of Martini Manna Avvocati reports. Continue Reading
Building Value: The Role of Trademarks for Economic Development
Investment in brands drives the allocation of resources in our economy. It increases competition, pushes firms to innovate, and decreases asymmetries in the market leading to a higher level of economic development Investment in brands and intangibles has seen an increase in the last fifteen years, especially in advanced economies such as the EU and the US. The US is a pioneer when we talk about investment in brands, whereas the EU is still investing a higher share of GDP in tangible assets. Continue Reading
Copyright reform in Europe: getting EU copyright fit for the digital age
In May 2015, the European Commission put copyright reform as key part of the Digital Single Market strategy. techUK’s Laura Weidinger argues why it is essential that the forthcoming reforms, the first major update since 2001, gets the detail right to create a functioning copyright framework fit for the digital age. Continue Reading
New Administrative Rules for Well-Known Trademarks in Russia
On October 13, 2015, new administrative rules on declaring trademarks well known entered into force in Russia. The main change concerns the prescribed time limit for the Rospatent to determine whether a trademark is well known. Continue Reading
Asia
How does the opening of the ASEAN community relate to Bangkokians? : Suggestions for adaptation (3)
Considering the effects and opportunities that will be occurring as the country enters into the ASEAN Community in the year 2015 that I have explained in the previous article, Bangkokians need to prepare and accept the change. Important areas where Bangkokians need to be prepared for are as follows: Continue Reading
Mickey Mouse operations: China fines five fake ‘Disney hotels’ in Shanghai ahead of giant theme park opening
Shanghai has fined a hotel chain for infringing on Disney’s trademarks at five of its branches as part of an effort to protect the US entertainment giant’s brand in the run-up to the opening of its theme park next year. The five hotels owned by the Shenzhen Vienna Hotels Group in Pudong district, where the theme park is due to open in the first half of next year, were found to have used the Chinese characters for Disney on their signboards, websites and electronic displays in their lobbies without authorisation, the Shanghai regulators said. Continue Reading
China Vows To Protect US Firms
US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) conference concluded with the commitment from both countries to protect the companies’ intellectual property (IP), minimize the trade theft, and provide them better legal protection. US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker called the US-China JCCT “Meaningful”. Breakthroughs were expected at the meeting held in in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The three-day conference also addressed the issues like standards, IP, and geographical indications to prevent unauthorized content, sports broadcasting, and many more. Continue Reading
India names new head of IP office
Sh O P Gupta has taken over as controller general of patents, designs and trademarks in India. The former chairman and managing director of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co was installed as the head of the Indian Intellectual Property Office on 16 November. Continue Reading
Qualcomm Inks License Deal With China’s Xiaomi
Qualcomm Inc. said it reached a patent-licensing deal with Xiaomi Corp., one of China’s largest smartphone makers, a sign of progress in easing the chip maker’s struggles in the country. The San Diego-based company’s stock jumped 5.6% to $52.03 in afternoon trading on Wednesday in response to the announcement. Continue Reading
New national Intellectual Property Rights policy likely by December end: Amitabh Kant
The government is likely to come out with a new national Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy by the month-end, DIPP Secretary Amitabh Kant said on Thursday. The task force appointed by the government on the matter has already submitted its report, Kant said while speaking at a conference organised by Observer Research Foundation here. Continue Reading
Middle East
Israel freezes the EU out of peace talks with the Palestinians
Israel has frozen the EU out of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in retaliation for Europe’s decision to label products made in West Bank settlements.Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, reacted furiously when the labelling decision was announced two weeks ago and on Sunday said he was suspending diplomatic contact with the EU on peace issues. Continue Reading
Africa
At WIPO, Former South Africa Judge Calls For Balance In IP Rights Enforcement
Alongside this week’s meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement, an event featured a former South African Supreme Court judge presenting his views on IP enforcement. There is a need to go for the “big fish,” he said, and to bring balance in sanctions and enforcement procedures. He also described courts as finding that exceptions to copyright are a public right. Continue Reading
Nigerian Journalists Dig Deep Into Land and Property Rights
Reporters from Nigeria’s leading media outlets were among the 55 professional journalists and 48 students who attended a unique journalism workshop on “Covering Land and Property Rights” held in Lagos on November 24 and 25. Continue Reading
Ibero-America
US and Brazil ink PPH to solve patent delay
The US and Brazil have agreed to form a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) aimed at speeding up patent applications in both jurisdictions. Continue Reading
Proposed law may remove indigenous land rights in Brazil
Maria Valdenice Nukini believes it’s her duty to protect her ancestral territory in northern Brazil and raise awareness of the role indigenous communities play in protecting nature. That’s why she recently traveled 4,700 kilometers from her isolated reserve in the northern state of Acre to Rio de Janeiro to protest oil and gas exploration that may take place near her community, located on the border with Peru. Continue Reading
Australia
Gearing and Protecting Intellectual Property for the World Market
Trade has been a big focus for the Australian Government in recent months. Newly minted bi-lateral and multi-lateral international trade agreements are in place, which are sure to open up greater export and investment opportunities for Australian companies. However, if you want to participate, can you be sure your intellectual property is protected? It is important that Australian suppliers fully protect their IP rights in those overseas markets – in relation to trademarks, patents and designs, and copyright. Continue Reading
Free Trade and Property Rights
USTR review notes gains in PHL compliance with international labor rights
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has noted gains on the Philippines’s adherence to international labor standards, paving the way for the country to fully enjoy the benefits under the preferential trade scheme. A USTR news statement release on Friday said that the conclusion of its review is “…based on progress by the Philippine government in addressing worker rights issues in that country, including through reforms of labor laws and regulations.” Continue Reading
THE PHILIPPINES and the European Free Trade Association (Efta) have substantially moved forward negotiations on a free trade agreement following the fourth round of talks last week. “The meetings were held in a positive and efficient atmosphere and substantial progress was achieved in all areas,” the Efta said. According to Efta, the working groups convened on November 24-27 in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss all areas under negotiation, including trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights Continue Reading
Plain Packaging
Plain packaging celebrates its third birthday as France green-lights brand-free tobacco packs
Plain packaging is officially three years old today, and last week France took a significant step towards becoming the latest country to introduce legislation for the presentation of tobacco products. However, as the spread of plain packaging continues, pro-IP voices are getting lost in the mix, with the narrative framed as boiling down to ‘pro-health interests v big tobacco’. Continue Reading
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