NAFTA 2.0 and Intellectual Property Rights: Insights on Developing Canada’s Knowledge Economy
[Bassem Awad, Ariel Katz, Michael Geist, Howard Knopf, Teresa Scassa, Ysolde Gendreau, and Konstantia Koutouki] … A modernized chapter for intellectual property rights could have a deep impact on the emerging knowledge economy in Canada and for the people who turn ideas into innovations. The authors featured in this special report provide important recommendations to support the development and growth of an innovation economy in Canada with respect to the copyright system, the patent system, as well as Canada’s geographical indications rules. The essays also point to some emerging issues that have yet to be considered within the existing NAFTA. In light of Canada’s recent international dealings and domestic commitments, these areas — big data and Indigenous traditional knowledge, in particular — form important considerations. Click here for more.
When the Chinese Intellectual Property System Hits 35
[Peter Yu] In 1982, China promulgated its first modern intellectual property law, offering protection to trademarks. Since then, China adopted the Patent Law in 1984, the Copyright Law in 1990 and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law in 1993. In December 2001, China finally became a member of the WTO, assuming obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. One can certainly debate about the actual age of the modern Chinese intellectual property system, but it will not be too far-fetched to suggest that the system began in the early to mid-1980s and is now entering, or approaching, its middle age. What exactly does a middle-aged Chinese intellectual property system mean? Will the system hit its prime? Or is it about to face a hard-to-predict mid-life crisis? Click here for more.
Creative Commons USA Statement on the Affordable College Textbook Act
[Ethan Senack] Today, Senators Durbin, Franken, and King, in conjunction with Representatives Polis and Sinema, introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act to the 115th Congress. In summary, the Affordable College Textbook Act provides funding for institutions of higher education to develop, adapt, and adopt openly-licensed educational resources that “either reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use, reuse, modification, and sharing with others.” Click here for more.
Copyright Change Is About Equipping Students, Not Ripping Off Writers
[Ian Baker] In response to the Productivity Commission’s report on intellectual property arrangements, the government committed to finding ways to “create a modernised copyright exceptions framework that keep(s) pace with technological advances and is flexible to adapt to future changes”. Put simply, bodies such as schools and universities should be able to use modern digital technology to educate Australian students without falling foul of copyright laws that were drawn up before photocopiers were invented. The debate centres on whether Australia should enact a “fair use” exception. Click here for more on theaustralian.com.au.
CopyCamp 2017 – Summary
[copycamp.pl] The 6th CopyCamp took place in Warsaw on September 28th and 29th under the title „the Internet of Copyrighted Things”. This year we gathered 60 guests from 21 countries who shared their expertise during presentations and workshops with those who joined us in Kino Praha or watched our live streaming on YouTube. … Among our special guests was Ms. Julia Reda, Member of the European Parliament and a representative of the Pirate Party. In her speech about the current copyright reform, Ms. Reda complemented some of its parts, but also expressed her deepest concern about the proposal of “linking tax” and the filtering obligation. Apparently, many decision makers wrongly believe that these proposals will only result in benefits for authors and other rightholders. They thus pay little attention to users and activists who raise alarm that implementing such ideas would destroy the internet. Click here for more.
