AdWords: The Ruling

Cases C-236 to 238/08 Google France, Google Inc. v Louis Vuitton Malletier.

Google Books Settlement, an Antitrust Perspective

An Introduction to Competition Concerns in the Google Books Settlement, by Rudolph J.R. Peritz and Marc Miller.

How Innovative is Europe?

EUROPEAN INNOVATION SCOREBOARD 2009, COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INNOVATION PERFORMANCE

US FCC's National Broadband Plan and Education

On the necessity to support and promote online learning.

The UK Digital Economy Bill goes to the Commons

Final amendments were made to the Bill during the third reading in the House of Lords on 15 March.

Sports Leagues and Antitrust in the US

The New York Times on American Needle v. National Football League.

Ein nutzerorientiertes Urheberrecht

Justizsenator Dr. Till Steffen hat heute das Diskussionspapier "Nutzerorientierte Ausrichtung des Urheberrechts" vorgestellt.

Paths Forward for the Google Books Settlement

A Diagram, by Jonathan Band.

Research Libraries: Future Visions

ARL's Project.

Robert Lande on FTC v. Intel

FTC v. Intel: Applying the 'Consumer Choice' Framework to 'Pure' Section 5 Allegations

Deutscher Bundestag: Enquete-Kommission "Internet und digitale Gesellschaft" eingesetzt

S. den ursprünglichen Antrag.

Internet Access as a Fundamental Right?

Global poll conducted across 26 countries for BBC World Service.

EFF on DMCA Updated

Unintended Consequences: Twelve Years under the DMCA

Be the First to Tell

A Film about Leniency, Swedish Competition Authority

Open Access: Duke University's drafted policy

Discussion paper here.

France: La Cour de cassation au sujet de l'exclusivité Orange/Apple

Remise en cause la décision de la cour d’appel.

Paypal-Pflicht beim Internethändler Ebay: Das Bundeskartellamt leitet eine Untersuchung ein

S. FAZ.net.

On DMCA Safe Harbors and Liability for Copyright Infringements

Whose Burden Is It Anyway? Addressing the Needs of Content Owners in DMCA Safe Harbors, by Greg Jansen, 62 Federal Communications Law Journal 153

On Open Source Licensing

Improving the Open Source Legal System, by Richard Fontana (Red Hat).

Library and higher education-related institutions and organizations on net neutrality

See the letter sent to the US Federal Communications Commission

EU Organic Logo: The Winner is...

Diversity in Competition Policy

Wolfgang Kerber on Competition, Innovation and Maintaining Diversity
through Competition Law

IBM on Chin

Here is the tech firm's reply to Prof. Andrew Chin's paper, as well as Chin's Respone to the IBM Memorandum.

LCA on educational purposes and copyright law

See Streaming of Films for Educational Purposes.

On the relationship between intellectual property protection for fruit and vegetable crops and plant diversity

APPLE DIVERSITY REPORT CARD FOR THE TWENTIETH CENTURY: PATENTS AND OTHER SOURCES OF INNOVATION IN THE MARKET FOR APPLES, by P.Heald and S. Chapman

Competition Policy and Economic Crisis: A Look Back?

DID WE AVOID HISTORICAL FAILURES OF ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT DURING
THE 2008-09 FINANCIAL CRISIS? DANIEL A. CRANE

Copyright and Electronic Communication: A View from Italy

See IL DIRITTO D’AUTORE SULLE RETI DI COMUNICAZIONE ELETTRONICA, Italian Communications Authority.

Copyright and Digital Economy

An overview of the main issues as presented by Michael Geist

Research Libraries on Google Books Settlement

The Google Books Settlement: Second Round Comments

At the Intersection of Competition and Regulation

Prof. Justus Haucap, German Monopolies Commission on "Competition and Regulation in Network Industries", Trento University, Economics Faculty, February 17, 10am.

Museen und Archive und die Regelungen zum geistigen Eigentum

„Das Urheberrecht verursacht Depressionen“

Rechtliche Fragen zu „Google Street View“

Rechtsgutachten vom Prof. Johannes Caspar.

UK government's open data under CC compatible licence

See this BioMed's blog post.

Bread Cartel Members Fined in South Africa.

Competition Tribunal, The Competition Commission Applicant
and Pioneer Foods (Pty) Ltd.

European ISPs on the ACTA

See this press release.

The US Department of Justice on the proposed amended Google Book Settlement

See the new filing.

Competition in the Italian gas market:

ENI submits to the European Commission a structural remedies proposal.

Competition Policy in India

India's New Competition Regime: The Elephant Who Became a Tiger, by Mark Sansom and Priya Christian

"Vorsprung durch Technik"

The Court of Justice of the European Union, Case C-398/08 P , Audi AG v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, on the distinctive character of a trade mark.

Trade mark dispute over the iPad

From the N.Y.Times

Motor vehicle sales and repair agreements in the EU

The replies to the 22.07.2009 to 25.09.2009 consultation on the future competition law framework applicable to the motor vehicle sector are now available.

Originality in Copyright Law

Elizabeth F. Judge and Daniel Gervais, Of Silos and Constellations: Comparing Notions of Originality in Copyright Law, 27 Cardozo Arts and Entertainment Law Journal 375 (2009), p. 322.

FTC's administrative complaint against Intel

See the FTC's press release.

US Statement at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) Nineteenth Session

See the text of the Statement delivered, as well as the somewhat different approach taken by the European Commission (from KEI). An unofficial version of the Conclusions from WIPO SCCR 19 is also provided for by KEI.

On the Google Book Search Settlement, Antitrust and Innovation

Randy Picker, U. Chicago - Antitrust and Innovation: Framing Baselines in the Google Book Search Settlement.

Google Books Revised Settlement and Open Access

From Peter Suber’s December 2009 issue of the SPARC Open Access Newsletter. See also some comments from Germany's Coalition for Action: Copyright for Education and Research (Aktionsbündnis: Urheberrecht für Bildung und Wissenschaft)

ARL, ALA, ACRL on Facilitating Access to Copyrighted Works for the Blind or Persons with Other Disabilities

Reply Comments before the Copyright Office, Library of Congress. See also the Comment offered by Jane C. Ginsburg and June M. Besek.

Eben Moglen on the Oracle/Sun Acquisition

See the letter sent to the EU Commission, the Software Freedom Law Center press release and Groklaw's post.

Elektronische Leseplätze in Bibliotheken

S. früheren Post.
OBERLANDESGERICHT FRANKFURT, Aktenzeichen: 11 U 40/09 (verkündet 24.11.2009).
Aus der Begründung (meine Hervorhebungen):
"Mit Recht wird jedoch darauf hingewiesen, dass es umgekehrt zu erheblichen praktischen Schwierigkeiten führen dürfte, wollte man ein angemessenes Lizenzangebot ausreichen lassen (Dreyer in HK-UrhR, 2. Auflage, 2009, § 52b Rn. 12). Die Anwendung der Schrankenregelung des § 52b UrhG hinge dann nämlich jeweils davon ab, ob die (gerichtliche) Prüfung des Angebotes ergibt, dass es als angemessen einzustufen ist. Die damit verbundene Rechtsunsicherheit könnte dazu führen, dass die Bibliotheken von der im öffentlichen lnteresse liegenden Schrankenregelung des § 52b UrhG keinen Gebrauch machen (...)
Dass der Absatzmarkt für Fachbücher durch die Schrankenregelung über Gebühr beeinträchtigt wird, erscheint nicht ausreichend belegt. Gerade im Universitätsbereich dürften die finanziellen Möglichkeiten der Studierenden in der Mehrzahl der Fälle ohnedies nicht ausreichen, um Fachliteratur käuflich zu erwerben (...)
Nach ganz überwiegender Auffassung in der Literatur, die der Senat teilt, begründet § 52b UrhG eine Annex-Berechtigung zur Digitalisierung des Werkes, weil die Bestimmung anderenfalls weitgehend leer liefe, denn um die Zugänglichmachung zu ermöglichen, müssen die privilegierten Einrichtungen in aller Regel ein dazu erforderliches digitales Vervielfältigungsstück herstellen (...)
Dass dem Nutzer über den Lesezugriff hinaus auch Vervielfältigungen in gleicher Weise wie bei einer analogen Nutzung ermöglicht werden sollen, ergibt sich aus der Gesetzesbegründung jedoch nicht. Das im Urteil des Landgerichts beschriebene berechtigte Bedürfnis des Nutzers, Ausdrucke für eine sinnvolle Arbeit mit längeren Texten zu nutzen, wird in ausreichenden Maß durch die weiterhin bestehende Möglichkeit gewahrt, Kopien aus den in der Bibliothek vorhandenen Printexemplare zu fertigen. Schrankenbestimmungen sind grundsätzlich eng auszulegen (...)
Der Senat sieht indes keine überzeugende Möglichkeit, zwischen digitalen und analogen Vervielfältigungen zu unterscheiden (vgl. auch Schöwerling, ZUM 2009, 665; Heinz in juris-PR-lTR 14/2009).
Es ist danach auch nicht maßgeblich, ob die Möglichkeit, die an den Leseplätzen zugänglichen Dateien auszudrucken, die lnteressen der Rechtsinhaber nicht stärker beeinträchtigen würde, als dies bei der Nutzung von Kopiergeräten der Fall ist."

Google News: First (Five) Click (s) Free

Does it placate publishers' concerns?

How effective is "your" competition authority?

Question debated at the UK Competition Commission Autumn Lecture 2009.

European Treaty's Renumbering

From December 1, 2009: Article 81 and Article 82 EC have respectively become Article 101 and 102 TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).

Deutscher Bundesrat zur Mitteilung der EU-Kommission zur Verbesserung der Durchsetzung geistiger Eigentumsrechte

"Eine zusätzliche zentrale Koordinierung durch nationale Koordinatoren, wie sie die Kommission fordert, ist abzulehnen".

On disruptive revolutions in the handset market and the role of competition policy

Why the iPhone Won't Last Forever and What the Government Should Do to Promote its Successor, by Robert W. Hahn and Hal J. Singer

On IBM, Antitrust and IP Law

Refusals to License and Installed-Base Opportunism in the Mainframe Computer Industry: The Investigation of IBM, by Andrew Chin

On the development of legal doctrine, the promotion of competition policy and the advancement of international cooperation and convergence

Phil Weiser, U.S. Department of Justice on Antitrust Doctrine, Competition Policy, and International Dialogue

Another IP/Antitrust Dispute

Emulex Corp. files an antitrust lawsuit against Broadcom Corp.

ARL and Others on the Google Books Settlement (Part III)

A Guide for the Perplexed Part III: The Amended Settlement Agreement, by Jonathan Band.

Zur Geltendmachung von Rechten aus einem Patent-Pool

"Patentverletzung durch Einsatz von geschützten Bauteilen in komplexen Vorrichtungen und die Rolle der Patent-Trolle", von Willi Schickedanz, in GRUR Int 2009, S. 901.

Zur Haftung des Internetanschlussinhabers bei Filesharing-Konstellationen nach den Grundsätzen der Störerhaftung

"Die Haftung des Internetanschlussinhabers bei Filesharing-Konstellationen nach den Grundsätzen der Störerhaftung", von Sven J. Mühlberger, in GRUR 2009, S. 1022.

Un titulo de Copyright europeo

Viviane Reding "ha recordado que con la entrada en vigor del Tratado de Lisboa será posible crear un título de "copyright europeo", que sería complementario al actual".

UK Digital Economy Bill

In particular on "technical" 3-strikes measures and the licensing of orphan works (see also clause 17).

RPM and the "hardcore restriction debate" in EU competition policy

See Resale Price Maintenance in EC Competition Law: The Need for a Standardised Approach , by Frederik van Doorn

IT-Branchenverband BIKT zum "dritten Korb" der Urheberrechtsreform

Aus der Pressemitteilung: "Der BIKT ...fordert das BMJ dazu auf, durch eine geeignete Regelung im Urheberrecht dafür zu sorgen, dass patentrechtliche Verbotsansprüche gegenüber Computerprogrammen keine Wirkung entfalten können. Der Verband plädiert daher für die Einführung einer „Schutzschirmklausel“, die die gesetzliche Absicherung des Urheberrechtsschutzes für Computerprogramme gegenüber dem Patentrecht gewährleistet".

Competition between TV Platforms

A Working Paper by Laia Domènech Campmajó (PPRE-IREA, University of Barcelona)

The European Ombudsman on Intel's complaint

A non-confidential version of the Decision closing the inquiry has now been published.

More on competition policy in difficult economic times

'We are here in a very melancholy Situation' : Financial crisis and competition policy - Speech by CC Chairman Peter Freeman to the David Hume Institute. See also Competition Policy and Financial Crises, A joint report by the Nordic competition authorities

ICN Cairo Cartel Workshop

The final presentations can be downloaded

Google Books Settlement Amended

Here. A first overview of the amendments from a German perspective here. Matters concerning Open Access are discussed here, concerning CC licences in particular here, further links to ongoing discussions here.

E-Learning and Copyright Exceptions

My short study published under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Italy licence is now available for download: E-Learning e sistema delle eccezioni al diritto d'autore.

The Federal Trade Commission to review the Intel/AMD settlement

According to the AAI, investigations should continue.

Russia: Fine Against Gazprom Neft Overturned

See the Moscow Times.

Thomson Reuters and Article 82 EC Treaty

Formal proceedings opened.

Plastic Additives Firms Fined For Colluding

See European Commission Press Release

US-Russia Antitrust Cooperation

The Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on antitrust cooperation with the Russian antitrust agency, Федеральная антимонопольная служба (ФАС) (see the US and the Russian press releases).

On Optimal Decisions Rules for Competition Policy

See "On Optimal Legal Standards for Competition Policy: A General Welfare-Based Analysis" by Yannis Katsoulacos & David Ulph.

Open Access: Petitionen an die Legislative

Petition an den Deutschen Bundestag: "Der Deutsche Bundestag möge beschließen, dass wissenschaftliche Publikationen, die aus öffentlich geförderter Forschung hervorgehen, allen Bürgern kostenfrei zugänglich sein müssen. Institutionen, die staatliche Forschungsgelder autonom verwalten, soll der Bundestag auffordern, entsprechende Vorschriften zu erlassen und die technischen Voraussetzungen zu schaffen". S. auch "An Open Letter to the U.S. Congress Signed by 41 Nobel Prize Winners".

Oracle/Sun Acquisition: Statement of Objections Issued

See this manager-magazin.de analysis, this from online.wsj.com, Oracle's first reaction and the US Department of Justice's Statement. See also Sun's filing to the SEC.

Oral argument in In Re Bilski before the US Supreme Court

See the transcript. Justice Breyer posed a slightly provoking question: "You know, I have a great, wonderful, really original method of teaching antitrust law, and it kept 80 percent of the students awake. They learned things --
(Laughter.)
JUSTICE BREYER: It was fabulous. And I could probably have reduced it to a set of steps and other teachers could have followed it. That you are going to say is patentable, too?
MR. JAKES: Potentially".

European Interoperability Framework

An unofficial draft copy is circulating.

Carlo Piana in Trento

Carlo Piana, Free Software Foundation Europe and Oracle Legal Counsel, Free Software Advocate, will talk at the Trento Competition Seminars about "Competition Policy, Innovation and Free/Open Source Software".

On Neelie Kroes' "steely political intent" in troubled economic times

See FT.com.

Competition Policy and Economic Crisis

Dr. Alessandra Tonazzi, Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), will talk about "Competition Policy in Difficult Economic Times" at the Trento Competition Seminars (Presentation).

Agreement on EU Telecoms Reform

See EU press release.

Standardization and Antitrust

A Presentation from the Philippe Nasse Seminar, by Damien Geradin.

Opposition to the EU Microsoft Browser "Settlement"

See this article from the New York Times.

US Intel Case

See the Office of Attorney General Press Release. The AAI is quite supportive of the complaint. The Federal Trade Commission will possibly "join the fray against the chip maker".

On Creative Impulses and Copyright Law

Economies of Desire: Fair Use and Marketplace Assumptions, by Rebecca Tushnet.

Football rights in Italy

The Milan Appeals Court has suspended the award of broadcasting rights to satellite operator Sky Italia for the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons because of competition concern.

Remedies in the EU and US Microsoft Cases

The Quest for Appropriate Remedies in the Microsoft Antitrust EU Cases: A Comparative Appraisal, by Nicholas Economides and Ioannis Lianos

Electronic dissertations at Stanford

From Digitalkoans: "Under the program, digital dissertations will be stored in the Stanford Digital Repository, which provides preservation services for scholarly resources, helping to ensure their integrity, authenticity and usability over time (...) documents will be available to the Stanford community through Socrates, the university's online library catalog, and "available to the world" through Google, which will serve as a third-party distributor".

Gestion et commercialisation des droits sportifs de la Fédération française de football: Entente verticale sanctionnée

Décision n° 09-D-31 du 30 septembre 2009 relative à des pratiques mises en oeuvre dans le secteur de la gestion et de la commercialisation des droits sportifs de la Fédération française de football.

Copyright to keep up with technology and consumer behaviour. UK IPO's actual proposal

© the way ahead: A Copyright Strategy for the Digital Age.

US Developments after Leegin

Notable developments concerning State Resale Price Maintenance Laws After Leegin, by Michael Lindsey.

Price competition in the distribution of books

The American Booksellers’ Association believes that the fierce price competition between Walmart, Target, and Amazon is damaging consumers.

Die Privatkopie und die deutsche Verfassung

Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat eine Verfassungsbeschwerde von Unternehmen der Musikindustrie gegen die digitale Privatkopie nicht zur Entscheidung angenommen.

A New Structured Rule of Reason Approach for RPM?

Antitrust Federalism : Enhancing Federal/State Cooperation, CHRISTINE A. VARNEY Assistant Attorney General Antitrust Division U.S. Department of Justice

On copyright infringement and choice-of-law rules

Anita B. Frohlich, Copyright Infringement in the Internet Age - Primetime for Harmonized Conflict-of-Laws Rules.

Yet another EU copyright consultation

Creative Content in a European Digital Single Market: Challenges for the Future

Economic evidence in competition cases

A speech by P.Freeman, Chairman of the UK Competition Commission