Internet Needs an Uncompromising “Marco Civil” in Brazil

[La Quadrature du Net, Link (CC-BY-SA)] Major organizations from all around the world, defending free speech and freedoms online, signed this open letter initiated by La Quadrature du Net. It encourages for a swift adoption, in Brazil, of an uncompromising “Marco Civil de Internet” that would truly guarantee freedoms online. The vote is scheduled on Tuesday. Your organization can still sign the letter, after its publication, by sending an email to signature (AT) laquadrature.net.  Click here for more.

Michelle Bachelet Recommends Review of Trans Pacific Partnership Scope and Obligations

[Mike Palmedo] Chilean Presidential Candidate Michelle Bachelet has released a platform that includes a chapter on external relations, including trade policy. She recommends that Chile undertake a “thorough review of the scope and implications of the Trans Pacific Partnership.”  She warns that the agreement may become an “indirect renegotiation” of US-Chile Free Trade Agreement that could “weaken already established agreements in intellectual property, pharmaceuticals, public procurement, services and investments.” Click here for more.

See Also:

Compulsory Licensing of Intellectual Property: A Viable Policy Lever for Promoting Access to Critical Technologies?

[Charles R. McManis and Jorge Contreras]The chapter discusses the statutory and treaty basis for compulsory patent licensing, briefly reviews instances in which compulsory licenses have been issued, surveys the economic rationale behind compulsory licensing and compares the potential application of compulsory licensing in essential medicines and climate change mitigation technology. Click here for the full book chapter.

Antigua Creating Platform To Monetize Suspended US IP Rights From WTO Case

[William New] The government of Antigua and Barbuda is said to be taking steps to set up a platform to allow the tiny Caribbean nation to monetize or otherwise take advantage of the suspension of US intellectual property rights, as it is permitted to do by a World Trade Organization dispute panel. The WTO panel had ruled that Antigua could make up its loss in IP rights for US measures blocking Antiguan online gambling in the US. A WTO Remedies Implementation Committee in Antigua and Barbuda, made up of experts in IP and trade law, information technology, and economics has held a meeting “geared toward harvesting benefits” of the WTO case, according to a 23 October Antigua release. Click here for the full story on IP Watch.

Rep. Goodlatte Introduces Patent Litigation Reform Bill

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte introduced a bill today to address the ever increasing problem of abusive patent litigation.  The bipartisan Innovation Act (H.R. 3309) builds on the reforms that were made last Congress in the America Invents Act and addresses certain abusive practices taking place in our Courts. … “The bipartisan Innovation Act is designed to eliminate the abuses of our patent system, discourage frivolous patent litigation and keep U.S. patent laws up to date.  These important actions will help fuel the engine of American innovation and creativity, creating new jobs and growing our economy.” Click here for the full announcement, and link to the legislation.