Friday, May 27, 2011

Keeping secrets in the age of tweets: Britain’s privacy law is a mess—and increasingly unsustainable

The Economist, here

Parallel Imports and Mandatory Substitution Reform - A Kick or A Muff for Price Competition in Pharmaceuticals


D. Granlund, M. Yesim Köksal, here.

US Senator calls on Apple and Google to adopt consistent privacy policy for apps

A. Franken, here

MEP questioning the EU Commission on books for the blind

C.Engström, here.

Konferenz: Zwanzig Jahre Software-Richtlinie - Eine Bilanz

S. Labesius, hier

Report for the Hearing – MSFT v Commission – T 167-08

Here (thanks to chillingcompetition.com)

How Will the Proposed Merger Between AT&T and T-Mobile Affect Wireless Telecommunications Competition?

U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet, here

Bundeskartellamt: Oligopol der Mineralölkonzerne ermöglicht einheitliche Preissetzung an den Tankstellen


Sektoruntersuchung  Kraftstoffe, Abschlussbericht Mai 2011, hier.

UN Human Rights Council on the threats to the right of to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet


F. La Rue, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, here.

What Next for Google Books?

Conversation with J.Grimmelmann, J. Band, K. Crews, here

On Hargreaves' “Digital Copyright Exchange”

www.music4point5.com, here

Security and Other Technical Concerns Raised by the DNS Filtering Requirements in the PROTECT IP Bill


S. Crocker, D. Dagon, D. Kaminsky, D. McPherson, P. Vixie, here.

L'ebook a 40 ans > 1971 > Le Projet Gutenberg, un projet visionnaire

Actualitte.com, ici.

Merger Control: Getting the Deal Cleared in Russia

Clifford Chance, here

FTC's Amicus Brief on reverse-payment settlements

In Re K-Dur Antitrust Litigation, here.

Is Europe's IP Policy Harming its Economy?


Shadow IPR Strategy Report, European Digital Rights, here.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Is there an economic case for copyright levies?

Oxera, here.

Sicherheitsempfehlungen für Cloud Computing Anbieter

Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik, hier.

The Role and Responsibility of Internet Intermediaries in the Field of Copyright in the Republic of Korea

K. Oh, ITU Workshop, here.

Le Parlement approuve définitivement la loi sur le prix du livre numérique

Le Monde, ici.

A new decade for the International Competition Network

J.Almunia, here. On competition policy and "new" markets:

Life in Google's legal department

Law.com, here

Hargreaves Report on technological change and EU copyright exceptions

From the Report:

Digital Opportunity

I. Hargreaves, here.

An Intellectual Property System for the Internet Age

J. Boyle, here

Role and Responsibility of Internet Intermediaries in the Field of Copyright (WIPO / ISOC)

Workshop, ITU, WSIS Forum 2011, Wed 18 May, program here; webcast here, recording here.

Intellectual Property and Access to Affordable Medicines: TRIPS Plus

J. Rius Sanjuan, here

International alarm rings over UK ICT policy

Computerweekly, here.

Replies to the EU consultation on collective redress published

Here. My personal selection:

Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity

McKinsey Global Institute, here

Buyer Power and Merger Policy

B.Kirkwood, here

Are Closed Systems an Antitrust Problem?

H. Kaiser, here

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF COPYRIGHT: The Empirical Evidence So Far

C.Handke, here

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Canadian Legal Information Institute seeks to defend legal research as “fair dealing”

Here

Draft: Internet Governance Principles

Council of Europe, here

Positionspapier des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbandes zur Reform des Urheberrechts

Méthode de détermination des sanctions pécuniaires

Autorité de la concurrence, Communiqué du 16 mai 2011, ici.

Traghetti Sardegna: avviata istruttoria per verificare una possibile intesa tra i principali operatori

Qui il provvedimento.

Commission confirms unannounced inspections in the container liner shipping sector

Competition problems in the audit market: OFT announces next steps

The General Court upholds the fine of EUR 59 million imposed on Elf Aquitaine and Arkema France for their participation in a cartel on the sodium chlorate market

MLibrary Launches Project to Identify Orphan Works

Press release, here.

European Parliament in Action!

New website dedicated to the work of the European Parliament, here.

Hargreaves Report calls for overhaul of UK copyright law

The Guardian, here.

REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL CHRISTINE VARNEY REGARDING NASDAQ OMX GROUP INC. AND INTERCONTINENTALEXCHANGE INC. ABANDONING THEIR BID FOR NYSE EURONEXT

House bill would let U.S. sue OPEC for price fixing

Thomson Reuters, here

ENTRY DECISIONS AFTER DEREGULATION: THE ROLE OF INCUMBENTS' MARKET POWER

L.Ciari, R. De Bonis, here.

Consumer Privacy and Protection in the Mobile Marketplace

Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance Subcommittee hearing,
May 19 2011, here

Enseignement en ligne et droit d’auteur : empilement et quelques ouvertures

Paralipomènes, ici

WIPO patent committee discusses Exception and Limitations to Patent Rights

KEI, here

3rd Annual Conference on Innovation and Communications Law

Conference, May 29-31.2011, Melbourne Business School, Program here.

Monday, May 16, 2011

LIBRARY COPYRIGHT ALLIANCE STATEMENT ON COPYRIGHT REFORM

Library Copyright Alliance, here.

Ratiopharm/Pfizer commitments published

A431 - RATIOPHARM/PFIZER, here (in Italian)

Lithuania: Amendment to Law on Competition Introduces Restriction of Professional Activities for Head of Undertaking infringing Antitrust Rules

ECN Brief, here

Questions to the ECJ on exhaustion and "used" software licences

C-128/11 - Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, USA v UsedSoft GmbH, Munich, here.

Achats et ventes de droits de livres numériques: panorama de pratiques internationales


Bureau international de l’édition française, ici.

EU Commission market tests Standard & Poor's commitments on international securities identification numbers

Press release, here

Competition Policy Issues in Financial Markets

J.Almunia, here

CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CLIENTS AND THEIR PATENT ADVISORS

WIPO Secretariat, here

ICN Curriculum Project: the first four modules

Friday, May 13, 2011

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Why Are Magazine App Subscriptions Priced So Weird?

Techland, here.

India finalises combination regulations

Here

iFlow calls Apple's in-app purchase rule 'an eviction notice' for e-bookseller

Futurebook.net, here.

Rethinking Music

Compiled and Presented By The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, here.

Barnett v. Barnett on Antitrust

J.Wright, here

Google's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and DOJ investigation

From the filing:

Publishers must change "radically' in digital age - Johnson

The Bookseller, here.

Three French publishers file new lawsuit against Google

The Bookseller, here

Enforcing Competition with Multiple Agencies and Private Enforcers

D. Crane, here.

The AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: Is Humpty Dumpty Being Put Back Together Again?”

Hearing, Senate Judiciary Committee
Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, here

Why buy Skype?

The Economist, here

Google: Our music service is legal

CNet, here

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Just Google it! - The Google Book Search Settlement: A Law and Economics Analysis

F.Müller-Langer, M.Scheufen, here

Towards a New Instrument of Protection for Software in the EU? Learning the Lessons from the Harmonization Failure of Software Patentability

R.Hilty, C.Geiger, here

Civil rights groups alarmed at Copiepresse ruling against Google

Cio.de, here

Belgique : vers une loi Hadopi... ou une licence globale ?

PCInpact, ici

Google on Protecting Mobile Privacy

A. Davidson, Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, here.Other testimonies here

Antitrust Issues Associated with the Sale of e-Books and Other Digital Content

A.Stoeppelwerth, here

An Economic Argument for Electronic Privacy

J.Spratt, here

Comparative List of Proposals Related to Copyright Limitations and Exceptions for the Visually Impaired Persons and Other Persons with Print Disabilities

WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, Twenty-Second Session
Geneva, June 15 to 24, 2011, here

In a World Without Tracking & Cookies, Can Online Commerce Succeed?

Mashable, here

Reader Privacy Act Unanimously Approved by Californian Senate

Reasons Against Californian "Do Not Track" Proposal: Google, Facebook et al.

Letter to Senator Lowenthal, here. 

Monday, May 09, 2011

Audiovisuelles Erbe im Internet sichtbar machen

Netzwerk Mediatheken, hier

Changes to the rules on using cookies and similar technologies for storing information

UK Information Commissioner's Office, here

COMPETITIVE NEUTRALITY AND STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES: Challenges and policy options

A.Capobianco, H.Christiansen, here

Legal changes give Romanian Competition Council teeth

FTC v. DOJ: In this antitrust slugfest, consumers always lose

S.Pearlstein, here

Ireland moving towards a US-style “fair use” doctrine?

siliconrepublic.com, here

Considerations on the EU competition enforcement system

C. MADERO VILLAREJO, here

Arrêt Google c. Copiepresse

Cour d'appel de Bruxelles, 9ème chambre, 5 mai 2011, ici

Trading’s End: Is ACTA The Leading Edge Of A Protectionist Wave?

F.Abbott, here

WIPO DIRECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

SCOPING STUDY ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS AND THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

S.Dusollier, here

TRIPS Amendments Needed To Restore Balance In IP, Researchers Say

C.Saez, here

Copyright, Consumers and Fairness: IP Watchlist 2011

Consumers International, here.

Google loses Copiepresse appeal

ACC, here

Friday, May 06, 2011

Suggestion de "torrent", "megaupload", "rapidshare" ne constitue pas en elle même une atteinte au droit d'auteur

SNEP c. Google, Cour d’Appel de Paris, Arrêt du 3 mai 2011, - RG n° 10/53985, ici.

Memorandum of Understanding on the sale of Counterfeit Goods over the Internet

The Competition and Consumer Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2011 (Exposure Draft): A Problematic Attempt to Prohibit Information Disclosure

B.Fisse, C. Beaton-Wells, here

Monopolies in Mexico: Compete—or else

The Economist, here

FTC v DOJ

H.Morse, here.

India’s New Privacy Regulations

M. Wugmeister, C. Rich, here

And the private copy war continues: news from the Dutch front!

L.Guibault, here

Facebook, Google und Yahoo gegen Browser-Datenschutzfunktion

Heise Online, hier

UK LOCAL BUS MARKET INVESTIGATION

Competition Commission, Provisional findings and Notice of possible remedies

Google courts professors about antitrust

Politico, here

Ensuring Competition on the Internet: Net Neutrality and Antitrust: Part II, FCC Panel

House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet, Statement of Chairman Julius Genachowski, Federal Communications Commission, here.

 “Paquet Télécom” : Simulacre de consultation et déni de démocratie

Quadrature du Net, ici

Evaluating Leniency and Modeling Cartel Durations: Time-Varying Policy Impacts and Sample Selection

J.Zhou, here.

Websites should notify EU users about privacy breaches, says justice commissioner

OUT-LAW, here

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Readers' Copyright

J.Litman, here

Leistungsschutzrecht für Presseverleger? Ein katholischer Priester/Blogger möglicherweise dagegen

Catholic News service, hier.
Aus dem Bericht:

The EU Commission alone is empowered to make a finding that there has been no breach of Article 102 TFEU

Judgment in Case C-375/09 - Prezes Urzędu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów v
Tele 2 Polska sp. z o.o., now Netia SA

Working together to ensure Europe plays key role in Internet of the Future

N.Kroes, here.
From the speech:

Trying To Limit Net Access, Dutch Telcos Accidentally Force Government To Speak Out On Net Neutrality

Techdirt.com, here

Handbook(s): Rules Applicable to EU Antitrust/Competition Enforcement

Volume 1: General Rules, 425 pp. Volume 2: Sector Specific Rules (Agriculture, Insurance, Motor Vehicles, Postal Services, Transport), 188 pp.

La lucha contra los cárteles en España se americaniza

Expansión.com, aquí

How four major US wireless carriers collect, use and store personal location data

Responses provided to US Reps. Markey and Barton, co-Chairmen of the House Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, here.

LG Berlin: Urheberrechtliche Haftung für eingebundene RSS-Feeds

LG Berlin, Beschluss v. 15.03.2011, Az. 15 O 103/11, here (Telemedicus)

Flash Cookie Lawsuit Against Specific Media Dismissed

Mediapost, here

Plans for Data Retention and Privacy Laws in Egypt

iapp, here

AT&T Broadband Caps Begin

PCWorld, here

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Oakland County women sue Google over Android's tracking software

Here

Fair use analysis of the republishing of an entire newspaper article

RightHaven, LCC, v. Center for Intercultural Organizing, 2:10-CV-1322 JCM (LRL) (DC Nev., 2011), here

EU Commission probes Credit Default Swaps market

BEST PRACTICES ON COOPERATION BETWEEN EU NATIONAL COMPETITION AUTHORITIES IN MERGER REVIEW

Draft, here

Das Recht auf Vernetzung

S. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, hier (FAZ.NET).

EU Commission responding to ACTA's criticism from academia

Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag zum Leistungsschutzrecht für Presseverleger: Wir machen uns den Vorschlag der Verleger nicht zu eigen

Interview mit Stephan Wermicke, hier

EU Commission opens investigation on Cephalon/Teva patent settlement agreement

Here

Monday, April 18, 2011

Implementing the revised EU Electronic Communications Framework

UK Government, here

Search Engine Competition with Network Externalities

C.Argenton and J.Prüfer, here

Upgrading the "More Economic Approach": Appropriate Standards of Forensic Economics

One of the topics discussed at this year's International Conference of the Bundeskartellamt was "Requirements of proof in court - the economic approach".

WHY THE GOOGLE BOOK SETTLEMENT FAILED – AND WHAT COMES NEXT?

P.Samuelson, here

The Future of Software Patents

J.Bessen, here

The New Hungarian Rules on Damages Caused by Horizontal Hardcore Cartels: Presumed Price Increase and Limited Protection for Whistleblowers – An Analytical Introduction

C.Nagy, here.

Code Is Law, Does Anyone Get It Yet?

L.Lessig, here.

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection

European Self-regulation for Online Behavioural Advertising

IAB Europe, here. Read also Which?' analysis.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Google/ITA might have come out differently at the FTC?

Spontaneous question raised reading this front page story on WSJ.

The Librarian of Congress on Judge Chin's opinion

If Search Neutrality is the Answer, What’s the Question?

G.Manne, J.Wright, here.

European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee approves a report favouring the elaboration of an optional European Contract Law

Here. Diana Wallis' report here. Read also the EU Comm's press release

Die schlauen, datenfressenden Maschinen

Kap. I und II aus dem Buch von K.Kurz und F.Rieger, Die Datenfresser, S.Fischer Verlag, 2011. 

Urheberrecht im Lichte der EU-Grundrechtecharta: Hyperlinks auf urheberrechtswidrige Angebote zulässig

BGH 14.10.2010 - I ZR 191/08, hier. Aus den Entscheidungsgründen:

Rediscovering the Spirit of Competition: On the Normative Value of the Competitive Process

O.Andriychuk, here

Thursday, April 07, 2011

Background and update on negotiations for a WIPO copyright treaty for persons who are blind or have other disabilities

KEI, here.

European Data Protection Commissioners: need for a comprehensive data protection framework

The Problem of 'Personal Data' in Cloud Computing - What Information is Regulated? The Cloud of Unknowing

W.Hon, C.Millard, I. Walden, Part 1 and Part 2. 

The dream of a virtual library of out-of-print books is dead, for now

S.Turow, letter to the Editor of the NYT.

Location-based services on mobile phones: getting crowded

The Economist, here.

Deal or No Deal? Politik- oder Wettbewerbsorientierung in der Europäischen Wirtschaftsordnung?


O.Budzinski, B.Kuchinke, hier.

Protection of competition in the online marketplace and search neutrality debated at Westminster

Here

Who pays for Data Protection?

V.Reding, here

Analysis of the consultation launched by the Green Paper on "Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries"

EU COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT, here.

Playtime over in Android Land?

Bloomberg Businessweek, here; Google's reaction, here

Unraveling the Rejection: The Google Book Settlement

Copyright Clearance Center, Online Seminar: transcript and audio

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

BGH "Hartplatzhelden.de" veröffentlicht

Urteil des I. Zivilsenats vom 28.10.2010 - I ZR 60/09, hier (Telemedicus). 

Le Groupement des Cartes bancaires s'engage à réviser à la baisse la plupart des commissions

Communiqué de presse de l'Autorité de la Concurrence; engagements proposés.

OFT and CC publish practice principles for the design and presentation of consumer survey research in merger inquiries


Here.

German copyright policy 2011: Introduction of a new neighbouring right for press publishers?

T.Kreutzer, here

Milan Tribunal on Google's liability for libelous "autocompletion"

Google Said to Be Possible Target of Antitrust Probe After ITA Acquisition

Bloomberg, here.

The international regulation of transnational mergers

J.Clarke, here

On Google Books settlement and congressional intervention

Interview with J.Grimmelmann, here

Monday, April 04, 2011

IPRED Versus The Sharing of Culture: Moving Away From Enforcement

La Quadrature du Net, here

DOJ Antitrust Division and FTC on International Cooperation and the ICN in 2010

DOJ: here. FTC: here, p.54-55; 58.

Competition and Choice in Retail Banking.

UK Treasury Committee, here

Against Notice Skepticism

M.Calo, here

“Lex Facebook” – Hessen will Online-Datenschutz verschärfen

K.Ewald, hier.

The State of 'Do Not Track' on the Internet

D.Daw (PCWorld), here.

Was darf Bildung und Forschung an Hochschulen den Staat kosten? Wie setzt das Gemeinwohl dem Recht am geistigen Eigentum und kommerziellen Interessen Grenzen?


OLG München, 24.03.2011, Az. 6 WG 12/09, Pressemitteilung hier.

Resale price maintenance complaint in the Chinese automobile industry

Here (Mondaq).

MEPs Marietje Schaake and Christian Engstrom submit formal questions on appointment of Maria Martin-Prat to EU copyright post

Questions here.

Friday, April 01, 2011

A Guide For the Perplexed Part IV: The Rejection of the Google Books Settlement

J.Band, here

OFT statement on Competition Appeal Tribunal’s judgment in construction recruitment forum case

Here

Section 2 in a Web 2.0 World: An Expanded Vision of Relevant Product Markets

P.Jones Harbour, T.Koslov, here

YouTube's Reply In Viacom Appeal Case

Here

Der beste IP 1. Aprilscherz

Disentangling Industrial Policy and Competition Policy in China

N.Bush, Y.Bo, here

Some Speculation About Mirror Neurons and Copyright

S.McJohn, here.
From the abstract:

Comment on the Draft Recommendation on the protection of human rights with regard to search engines

EFF, here. Council of Europe Draft Recommendation here

Patent system reform as seen from the FTC

IPColloquium's guests are S.Michel and W.Cohen, here.

EU Commission confirms it is investigating Deutsche Bahn for abuse of dominant position (also not an April fool)

"It has been alleged that Deutsche Bahn group, and in particular Deutsche Bahn Energie, the de facto sole supplier of electricity for traction trains in Germany, would be giving preferential treatment to the group's rail freight arm. The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the German competition authority", here.

The Pope has a new copyright law (not an April fool)

Here

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Zite iPad news app accused of copyright infringement

Here and here.

THE DISSENT: WHY ONE FTC COMMISSIONER THINKS DO NOT TRACK IS OFF-TRACK

T.Rosch, here

The Past and Future of Direct Effects Evidence

T.Rosch, here

Amazon, Apple et Google soumis au prix unique du livre numérique

Ici (LEXPRESS.fr).

Eckpunktepapier zu Fragen der digitalen Welt


Beschluss des DIHK-Vorstandes, hier.
Zum Leistungsschutzrecht für Presseverleger:

Google Agrees to Implement Comprehensive Privacy Program to Protect Consumer Data

Smartphone-Apps – wo bleibt der Datenschutz?

A.Dix, der Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit, Tätigkeitsbericht für das Jahr 2010, S. 67 ff.

IFPI - Recording Industry in Numbers 2011

Here

Android poised to take over as the leading smartphone operating system in 2011

IDC - Press Release

Microsoft to file antitrust complaint against Google

S.Musil, here (cnet). Read also Brad Smith's own remarks and the NYT's story with some Google' s first reactions. Also here.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Has Google learned Microsoft's antitrust lessons?

J.Greene, here.

J'aime l'info: plateforme de contributions volontaires pour les médias en ligne

Ici

It’s Time for the Recording Industry to Stop Blaming "Piracy" and Start Finding A New Way

EFF, here.

The clear role of public authorities in cloud computing

N.Kroes, here

Carburanti: Antitrust avvia indagine conoscitiva su meccanismo indice Platt's e su rete distributiva

Qui. Vedi anche il recente "INFORME DE SEGUIMIENTO DEL INFORME DE CARBURANTES PARA AUTOMOCIÓN" pubblicato dalla spagnola Comisión Nacional de la Competencia. 

Broader issues in applying UK merger regime and possible improvements

C.Maxwell, here

Citation Advantage of Open Access Legal Scholarship

J.Donovan, C.Watson, here

Hal Varian on Google's Value to US Users and Advertisers

A.Tsotsis (TechCrunch), here. See also Google's "Where we get our numbers"

Preemptive Action Seeks Ruling That Would Prohibit Monsanto From Suing Organic Farmers and Seed Growers If Contaminated By Roundup Ready Seed

Driving Innovation: A Case for Targeted Competition Policy in Dynamic Markets

J.Galloway, here

Refusal to Supply and Margin Squeeze: A Discussion of Why the 'Telefonica Exceptions' are Wrong

D.Geradin, here

Rome Tribunal's preliminary ruling on Yahoo's liability for contributory infringement

Here (in Italian).

Recent decisions of the Paris Court of Appeal involving Google: towards an extra duty of surveillance for hosting providers?

C.Jasserand, here

Trafficlieferanten der Medien: Facebook gewinnt, Google verliert

H.Schmidt, FAZ.net (hier)

GPL-Verletzung durch Android-Code?

S.Labesius, hier

EU Competition Commissioner on some hot issues

Interview with J.Almunia, here.
Some personal picks:

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dynamic Competition in the Newspaper Industry

C.Varney, here.
Business review letters concerning the Global News Service and the AP's News Registry respectively are referred to in Varney's remarks. 

EU Competition law and Energy: Recent cases and issues

C.Gauer, J.Ratliff, here

MYTHS ABOUT THE MEDIA: AUDIENCE, BUSINESS, AND MONEY

March 24, 2011, George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, in Association with the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ), livestreaming event at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (6:00 p.m. in Geneva, CH)

Rejection of the Google Books Amended Settlement Agreement: Nine Snippets

Judge Danny Chin: "Before the Court is plaintiffs' motion pursuant ,to Rule
23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for final approval of
the proposed settlement of this class action on the terms set
forth in the Amended Settlement Agreement (the "ASA"). The
question presented is whether the ASA is fair, adequate, and
reasonable. I conclude that it is not."
Nine significant snippets:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Monday, March 21, 2011

Friday, March 18, 2011

Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the world wide web, to help protect ‘open internet’

FT.com, here

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Law That Removes Works from the Public Domain

EFF, here

Urheberrechtliche Gestaltung von Open-Access-Repositorien

Dossier zum  IUWIS-Workshop am 02. März 2011.

Reconsidering Competition

M.Stucke, here.

Googles Think Tank stößt Debatte um neues Urheberrecht an




Heise online News, hier.

The State of Online Consumer Privacy

J.Leibowitz, here. More about the US Senate Hearing here. Read also V.Reding, Your data, your rights: Safeguarding your privacy in a connected world for a EU perspective. 

Geldbußen in Höhe von 38 Mio. € gegen drei Hersteller von Konsumgütern wegen des unzulässigen Austauschs über wettbewerbsrelevante Informationen

Aus der Pressemeldung des Bundeskartellamtes:" Die Kenntnis über die zu erwartenden Forderungen des Einzelhandels sowie die Reaktionen der maßgeblichen Wettbewerber auf diese Forderungen, konnten das eigene Marktverhalten ebenso entscheidend beeinflussen, wie die Information über beabsichtigte Preiserhöhungen der Konkurrenz. Informationen dieser Art werden von den Unternehmen normalerweise hoch vertraulich behandelt".

SPD will mit Zweitverwertungsrecht Open Access ermöglichen

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Commissioning and competition in the public sector

OFT, here.
From the Press Release: "The OFT's 'Commissioning and Competition in the Public Sector' study, published today, argues that having an open, transparent and competitive tender process is not enough on its own to ensure that public services markets are open and contestable, both over the short-term and long-term. Achieving effective competition in public services must also involve: reducing barriers to entry and exit, encouraging a diverse supplier base and ensuring suppliers have the right incentives to make efficiency savings, raise quality and innovate."

The Next Digital Decade: How Will the Internet Change by 2020?

Ideas in action, J.Glassman. Guests: L. Downes, G.Manne, here

The State of the News Media 2011

Pew Research Center, here

Friday, March 11, 2011

African Competition Forum launched in Nairobi

Here.
The launch was announced during a two days conference jointly hosted by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Kenya Monopolies and Price Commission, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance together with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) The newly appointed Chair, Mr Francis Kariuki said: “The ACF will raise awareness and provide support as widely as possible for the creation of strong competition regimes in Africa. The  Forum will share information on appropriate practices in competition law and enforcement and will collaborate in building institutional capacity throughout the continent.”

Sustaining Scholarly Publishing: New Business Models for University Presses


Association of American University Presses, here.

How-To for Sustainable Creativity in the Digital Era

Collective rights management bodies in Hungary and Romania take steps to improve competition

Here

US Government draft of the intellectual property chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)

From KEI, here

Upon Further Review: Will The NFL's Trademark Licensing Practices Survive Full Antitrust Scrutiny? The Remand of American Needle v. National Football League

M.Edelman, here

Australian Internet Industry Association to Develop Code of Practice following iiNet

Conseil Constitutionnel Français au sujet de la loi LOPPSI

Ici

Thursday, March 10, 2011

NEXA sulle competenze dell'AGCOM in materia di diritto d'autore


Qui.

EU merger control has come of age

J.Almunia, here. From the speech, on international competition policy:.

The Readers' Bill of Rights for Digital Books

Myths and patent reform

R.Tiller, here (from opensource.com).

EU Commission and Russian Competition Authority: Cooperation Agreement

European Press Release. Russian Press Release here. US-Russia cooperation agreement here.

Neelie Kroes Addressing the Orphan Works Challenge

Here

EU Commission terminates the Stakeholders' Dialogue on Online Copyright Infringement

Here, from pc.impact.com

The Rise of European Competition Policy, 1950-1991: A Cross-Disciplinary Survey of a Contested Policy Sphere

L.Warlouzet, here

Road-testing UPP: the Zipcar/Streetcar merger

RBB Brief 36, here

U.S. digital project signals the rise of versatile e-textbooks

M.Geist, here.

Indian Draft Merger Regulation Open for Consultation

Draft here.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Study on the Overall Functioning of the European Trade Mark System

Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property and Competition Law, here.

US Supreme Court not to review payments by brand name pharmaceutical companies to generics in settlement of patent infringement litigation

EU Court of Justice: The draft agreement on the creation of a European and Community Patent Court is not compatible with European Union law

Here

The Sound of One Hand Clapping: The 2010 Merger Guidelines and the Challenge of Judicial Adoption

J.Stone, J.Wright, here

FTC ON THE EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE: ALIGNING PATENT NOTICE AND REMEDIES WITH COMPETITION

Here

US Supreme Court Justice Breyer on "l'économique" and the judges


US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer delivered a very nice speech (in impressive French), March 7, 2011 at the invitation of the Association Internationale de Droit Economique, in Paris (disclosure: I'm a member of that association). The title of the Seminar was "La prise en compte de l'Economique par la Cour Suprême des Etats-Unis, des cours supérieures européennes (CJUE, Cour de Cassation, Conseil Constitutionnel français, etc …)", thus, roughly, on the relevance of economics ("l'Economique", by that meaning, possibly, economic theories, models but also bare economic data) in taking legal decisions at the highest court instances, both in the US and France (but also, as other speakers covered, in Belgium).

This is my personal take on that intense speech.

Friday, March 04, 2011

The future of European competition law in high-tech industries

C. MADERO VILLAREJO, here.

Die schwierige Arbeit der Internet-Enquete

Die Zeit, hier

EU Commission closes probe into Hollywood studios after they change terms of contracts for digitisation of European cinemas

Here

US Senate Judiciary Committee on “Targeting Websites Dedicated To Stealing American Intellectual Property”

Webcast.

Tom Adams
President and CEO
Rosetta Stone Inc.
Arlington, VA

Scott Turow
President
Authors Guild
New York, NY

Christine N. Jones
EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
The Go Daddy Group, Inc.
Scottsdale, AZ

Thomas M Dailey (at 51:51)
Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
Verizon
Arlington, VA

Denise Yee
Senior Trademark Counsel
Visa, Inc.
San Francisco, CA

The Dynamics of Disruptive Innovation: How will content-based business succeed?

P. de Sa, Presentation, Webcast (at 24:33).

Canadian Competition Bureau Announces Plans to Moderately Revise the Merger Enforcement Guidelines

Here. Among the announced revisions:
"- clarify that merger review is not a linear process that must start with market definition, but rather an iterative process in which evidence of market concentration is considered alongside other evidence of competitive effects, with the goal of determining whether a merger creates or enhances market power" and
"- provide more detailed guidance on how the Bureau assesses the unilateral effects of a merger, particularly in light of current economic thinking"

Gartner Lowers PC Forecast as Consumers Diversify Computing Needs Across Devices

Advocate General Ján Mazák on banning internet sales in selective distribution agreements

Opinion in Case C-439/09 Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmétique SAS v Président de l'Autorité de la Concurrence & Ministre de l'Économie, de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi.

Antitrust and Apple’s iPad Magazine Subscription Pricing

J.Gans, here

TRANSATLANTIC ANTITRUST: PAST AND PRESENT

R.Brandenburger, here. "Compare" with J. Almunia, New Transatlantic Trends in Competition Policy, here

L’actualité du droit matériel des pratiques anticoncurrentielles

N.Petit, ici.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

FAIR ACCESS TO CULTURE AND THE RIGHT TO READ OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS

Exceptions and limitations to copyright with regard to libraries, education and print disabled persons - European Parliament P7C050 - 13th April 2011 10.00-13.00 

10.00 Introduction

Luigi Berlinguer MEP - Overview of the issues
Ádám Kósa MEP President Disability Intergroup - Copyright and disabled people’s rights
Ben White –IFLA/EBLIDA / British Library - The case for Education and Libraries

10.30 Panel 1. The book famine- what are the barriers and solutions?
Wolfgang Angermann– European Blind Union
European Dyslexia Association- Raymond Claes
Q&A from the floor

11.00 Panel 2. A WIPO treaty for print disabled people?

Rodolfo Cattani EBU - Rationale for a treaty and the campaign so far
David Hammerstein – Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue
Q&A from the floor

11.45 Panel 3. Limitations and exceptions to copyright. Opinion of the EP, Commission and Council

An MEP perspective: F. Keller, F.Sosa Wagner.
The Commission’s position (speaker TBC)
Council position – Representative from Hungarian Presidency
Dan Pescod – European Blind Union
Ben White – IFLA/EBLIDA
Q&A from the floor

12.45 Conclusions
Concluding remarks - Luigi Berlinguer MEP

    Cross-border merger control in Japan

    A.Goto, here

    Commissioner Barnier tells the European Blind Union the EU does not support a treaty for persons with disabilities

    Here, from KEI (the actual letter here).

    Business Sues Facebook to Restore Its Fan Page--Complexions v. Complexions Day Spa

    E.Goldman, here.

    The Irish Competition Authority in Difficult Economic Times

    Annual Report 2010, here.

    Zum Leistungsschutzrecht für Presseverleger: Monopolkommission v. Bundesverband Deutscher Zeitungsverleger

    J.Haucap (Monopolkommission), hierD. Wolff (BDZV), hier.

    Google book search choices

    G. Occhipinti Trigona, here.

    Fifth Annual Law & Information Society Symposium: Mobile Devices, Location Technologies & Shifting Values

    March 25, 2011 Fordham University, program.

    EU Commission confirms unannounced inspections in the e-book publishing sector

    Österreichisches Kartellgericht: Preisabsprachen gestattet?

    Hier (s. auch Kartellblog)

    AGCM - DIVIETO INCROCI GIORNALI-TV: ANTITRUST A GOVERNO E PARLAMENTO, NO AL POTERE DI PROROGA AFFIDATO AL PRESIDENTE DEL CONSIGLIO

    Qui

    Monday, February 28, 2011

    IN REGULATORS WE TRUST: THE SUPREME COURT’S NEW APPROACH TO IMPLIED ANTITRUST IMMUNITY

    R.Brunell, here.

    Greece's Competition Commission fines crisis cartel in the fish farming sector

    Here. See also Greece's contribution on the topic of crisis cartels to the OECD 10th GFC

    Au sujet du pré-rapport parlementaire sur la neutralité du Net

    La Quadrature du Net, ici

    OECD 10th Global Forum on Competition


    Forum documents.
    In particular:
    Session I Cross-border Merger Control: Challenges for Developing and Emerging Economies
    Session III Crisis Cartels

    UNDERSTANDING THE RAND COMMITMENT

    D.Lichtman, here.

    Materialien zum deutschen und europäischen Wettbewerbsrecht

    F.Säcker, hier

    WHY (EVER) DEFINE MARKETS?

    K.Kaplow, here ("The thesis of this Article is that the market definition process should be abandoned").

    Liberation by software

    E.Moglen, here (guardian.co.uk).

    World Blind Union suspends participation in WIPO & EU Stakeholder discussions, pending agreement at WIPO on legal framework

    KEI, here

    Digitale Langzeitarchivierung als Thema für den 3. Korb zum Urheberrechtsgesetz

    Nestor, hier

    Address to the Blue Sky Conference on future directions in Copyright law

    R.McClelland, here.

    WIPO pushes for greater access to books for the vision impaired

    A.Reid, here.

    Thursday, February 24, 2011

    Monday, February 21, 2011