TPP Experts Briefing: Informing TPP Negotiators of the Threats of Expanded Copyright Restrictions
[Jeremy Malcolm and Maira Sutton] Due to the unprecedented secrecy surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations taking place this week in Ottawa, there was no formal opportunity to engage with negotiators about the concerns that EFF and many others have expressed—over issues such as the extension of copyright protection by 20 years, and the delegation of ISPs as copyright police with the power to remove content and terminate accounts. With the alternative of allowing this round of negotiations to proceed without any public input on these important issues (and bearing in mind the maxim “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad…”), EFF and its partners in the Our Fair Deal coalition decided to hold a side event of our own next to the venue of the negotiations. TPP negotiators were invited to watch keynote talks by two of Canada’s top copyright experts. Click here for more.
See also: Meera Nair. “The $500 Million Tip of the TPP Iceberg” (on IP and Investor-State Dispute Settlement in the TPP) Link.
Patent Pseudo-Pools and Standards
[PIJIP] American University Professor Jorge Contreras has recently proposed a “pseudo-pool” approach to addressing patent stacking and hold-up concerns for industry standards. The proposal has attracted some attention, including from the European Commission, which had the following to say in its recent report on patents and standards… Click here for more.
‘Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement’ In EU–US Trade Deal Risks Access to Affordable Medicines
[Joint press release by eight civil society organizations] BRUSSELS—Several European and American health NGOs publicly criticised the inclusion of investor-to-state-dispute-settlement (ISDS) in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) today, warning that it will undermine public health policies of European Union (EU) Member States and severely jeopardise access to affordable medicines and public health protection. Click here for more.
American Bar Association White Paper Calls for New Legislation to Combat “Predatory Foreign Websites”
[Mike Palmedo] The Intellectual Property section of the American Bar Association has called on Congress to craft new legislation to fight copyright infringement on “Predatory Foreign Websites” (PFW). In a white paper titled A Call for Action for Online Piracy and Counterfeiting Legislation, the group makes a number of recommendations, including the creation of a private right of action against “PFWs” allowing rightholders to seek civil remedies. Specific civil remedies should include: “(1) injunctions directing financial payment processors to freeze the assets of PFWs and to cease doing business with such websites; (2) injunctions preventing online advertisers from paying PFWs or from displaying further ads on those websites; (3) injunctions requiring search engines to remove PFWs from paid, sponsored links; (4) injunctions requiring website hosts to cease hosting PFWs; Click here for more.
The French Government Must Issue a Compulsory License for Sofosbuvir & Seek the Usage of Generics to Treat Hepatitis C
[ACT-UP Basel] Act Up-Basel called the French government to learn from the current situation regarding access to new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) molecules used in the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV), to exercise Article L613 -16 of the Code of Industrial Property on the transmission and loss of patent holder rights to issue a compulsory license [i] and make available generic versions of sofosbuvir. Click here for more.
Another Week of Mixed Fortunes at WIPO
[Electronic Information for Libraries] The 28th session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) – the main body that shapes international copyright law – failed to reach agreement on the conclusions of its session for the second time this year. It also couldn’t agree during the late evening session on the all-important recommendations to WIPO’s General Assemblies that meet in September. Click here for more.
Singapore Parliament Passes Web-Blocks
[Chris Cooke] Web-blocking is close to becoming a reality in Singapore after the island nation’s parliament approved new copyright legislation earlier this week… Lawmakers in Singapore started considering web-blocking proposals earlier this year and recently completed a public consultation. And this week the country’s parliament approved a new bill that will provide a framework via which rights owners will be able to secure web-blocks through the courts there. The country’s President just now needs to sign the new legislation, meaning the first injunctions could be applied for later this year. Click here for the full story on completemusicupdate.com.
