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| The letter opposing the treaty for the blind was signed by TABC Director General Tim Bennett |
We just ran across this mean spirited letter by the Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC), a group that describes itself as follows:
At the request of the European Union, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States of America, the topic of “Intellectual Property and Sports” was placed for discussion at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) October 2013 session of the Council for TRIPS (TRIPS Council).
Introduction
I. Scope of Patentability
II. Evergreening Patents
III. Patent Trolls
IV. Presumption of Validity
V. Injunctions
VI. Exclusive Rights Over Test Data
VII. Patent Linkage
VIII. Delinkage/Positive Agenda
Conclusion
Introduction
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In 2012 the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a study titled “Intellectual Property and the U.S. Economy: Industries in Focus” which estimated the number of jobs if various “IP intensive” industries. The study was immediately panned by critics for its broad definitions — grocery stores were the top “ip intensive industry” in the United States, but it became a source of go-to-statistics for every PhRMA and publisher lobby group pushing new privileges and subsidies. (Commentary here: /node/1432)
The webcast of WIPO General Assemblies taking place this week (September 23 to October 2, 2013) in Geneva, Switzerland is now available on demand. The Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) work program starts at minute 33 of the morning session of Thursday September 26 (first video of the day). It is all about broadcasting & webcasting and whether or not the casting treaty is ready or not ready for prime time, it seems to be moving quite fast to the top of the agenda of the SCCR.
Delivered September 24, 2013, during NGO statements on agenda Item 5.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
As regards the Marrakesh treaty, KEI offers its sincere and profound thanks to Secretary Francis Gurry, Ambassador Trevor Clarke, Michelle Woods and Geidy Lung and others members of the WIPO staff for their dedication to a successful conclusion to this difficult negotiation.
More than two-and-a-half years ago, the United States tabled their text for the intellectual property chapter at the Fifth Round of negotiations which took place in February 2011 in Santiago, Chile. In March 2011, that text was leaked and contained many aggressive proposals as well as some placeholder text for pharmaceuticals in other areas. Continue Reading
On August 30, 2013 KEI filed the following FOIA request for copies of any email correspondence between Victoria Espinel, the former US Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, and employees, representatives, or member companies of the Business Software Alliance (BSA). Espinel assumed the position of President and CEO of BSA just weeks after stepping down from her position at OMB. KEI is interested in the ethical dimensions of Espinel’s new employment, in light of Executive Order 13490 — Ethics Commitments.
——– Forwarded Message ——–
From: Claire Cassedy
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On Saturday, August 3, 2013, USTR head Ambassador Michael B. G. Froman wrote to the Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), to “disapprove the USITC’s determination to issue an exclusion order and cease and desist order” for Apple Inc. “smart phones and tablet computers that infringe a U.S. patent owned by Samsung Electronics,” in the ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-794. Continue Reading
Media coverage of the Marrakesh Treaty for the Blind negotiations 22 June 2013, The Washington Post, Filmmakers’ group tries to reshape treaty that would benefit the blind 24 June 2013, The Guardian, US film industry tries to weaken copyright treaty… Continue Reading