Friday, July 27, 2012

The European Commission's Closer Look on the Pharmaceutical Sector - New Development on the Interface between IP and Antitrust Law

S. Baier, here

Civil Society statement on Exceptions and Limitations for Education

WIPO 24th SCCR, here

The Role of the Intellectual Property Office

UK IPO, here

Online Software Piracy

The Economist, here

A Comparative Look at Foreign State Compulsion as a Defence in Antitrust Litigation

M. Martyniszyn, here

Higher Education Institutions and EU Competition Law

A. Gideon, here

Blinde müssen weiter für Urheberrechtsausnahmen kämpfen

Heise.de, hier

Cloud Computing: An Overview of the Technology and the Issues facing American Innovators


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

Google and Antitrust

R. Picker,  Presentation here

Exclusivity in High-Tech Industries: Evidence from the French Case

P. Bougette, F. Marty, J. Pillot, P. Reis, here

Copyright, Free Speech, and the Public's Right to Know: How Journalists Think about Fair Use

P. Aufderheide and P. Jaszi, here

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

WIPO SCCR24: Ruth Okediji - speaking on behalf of Nigeria - on the Development Agenda

Streamtext: "As other Delegations have said, the Delegation of Nigeria would like to appreciate and thank the Development Agenda Group for the statement and to support that statement. It was exactly 100 years ago and 30 days today that the first copyright act came to Africa by ordering counsel number 912 of the English crown. That copyright act extended to 11 countries, all of which remain independent countries today in the African continent. When one looks back at the developments both in international relations but also in particular in international copyright law, it is clear that this is a system that will always need adjustments. The pendulum swings sometimes too far in the area of protection. Sometimes too far in the area of deference and sometimes too far in the area of ignorance.
It is in fact important to note that the accomplishments today are only the first step in a very long journey with regard to the treaty for the visually impaired. It is in our view not so much what we have done here but what we must do that we must pay attention to. When we are addressing the needs of the visually impaired or those that have long been underserved by the system, there can be no question that our responses must be law, not sentiment. They must be a commitment, not just an ideal. They must be a promise, not just a wish.
In the end, copyright law is government policy, not private policy. It is not the entitlement of users, consumers, authors or intermediaries. We must have the leadership and the moral courage to establish principles that are sustainable, fair, and implemented at the highest levels of integrity. As the Distinguished Delegate of Egypt has said in his statement on behalf of the African Group, a balanced system is not just a system that articulates principles that cannot or will not see the light of day. Nigeria is proud to have produced the first blind physiotherapist, the first blind professor on the continent, and to have established the first organisation to train and teach the blind and the visually impaired.
The exceptions and limitations Agenda is a reflection of a long history and commitment to ensure that the copyright system and indeed all other systems support the full integration of individuals into a meaningful and productive life. We believe it is time to convene a diplomatic conference in 2013. We believe it is time to recognize that the Development Agenda is serious and that it is one of the instruments by which as a community and as an institution we will be able to see the copyright system productive, adaptable and transformative not only for developing countries but for developed countries as well.
However, and whatever we feel about the WIPO Development Agenda, it is clear that the legal, social, and political reality is that an Intellectual Property system specifically an international copyright system that does not work for all will not work at all. Thank you, Mr. Chair."

EU Commission sends Statement of Objections to Lundbeck and others for preventing market entry of generic antidepressant medicine ("pay for delay")

Press release, here. See also the July, 16 "pay for delay" ruling delivered by the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in re K-DUR ANTITRUST LITIGATION, here

Open access versus subscription journals: a comparison of scientific impact

B. Björk and D. Solomon, here

Revised Draft Working Document on an International Instrument on Limitations and Exceptions For Visually Impaired Persons/Persons with Print Disabilities

SCCR/24/9 Prov, here (via keionline). 

Government may be in breach of EU copyright laws over volunteer-run libraries' royalty payment commitments, authors' body claims

Out-law.com, here

WIPO SCCR24 Draft Conclusions

Here, from keionline.org.

WIPO SCCR24: Ruth Okediji speaking on behalf of Nigeria on library issues

Streamtext: "The Nigerian delegation and also on behalf of the African Group wants to stress like other speakers the importance of this issue. Personally as the daughter of a librarian, I can emphasize the importance of libraries, particularly with ensuring that the access needs, the educational needs, the research needs of the population are met. In this regard parallel importation is of particular importance. Both in ensuring the vitality of libraries as cultural institutions but also to ensure that users not only in Developing Countries but in Developed Countries are able to access the rich trove of resources that are not often within national boundaries. So I think it's important that as this body begins to look at an international treaty on this issue, that the question of what libraries do, how they are able to preserveto distribute works. And the necessary limitations that will facilitate parallel importation for libraries as well as library lending be of utmost priority. I think it is fair to say that the international copyright system and national copyright systems on the whole have only been successful because libraries have been in existence. I think that it is important to note that in the absence of parallel importation and limitations and exceptions on distribution right it would be virtually impossible for even the work we are doing in this body to go on. So without saying much at this point, again, just to stress the importance of this issue and to encourage that this body treats this with utmost seriousness"

Der EuGH zum Erschöpfungsgrundsatz in UsedSoft v. Oracle

Ifross.org, hier

'Do Not Track' Internet spat risks legislative crackdown

Reuters.com, here

Considering Canada’s Supreme Court Decisions in this week’s WIPO Proceedings

Iposgoode.ca, here.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Diskussionspapier der CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion zum Urheberrecht in der digitalen Gesellschaft

Blogfraktion.de, hier

Freedom of Choice - The Emergence of a Powerful Concept in European Competition Law

P. Nihoul, here

Les enjeux de l’extension de l’Open Data au monde de l’entreprise

Internetactu.net, ici

Google announces digital book venture in France

PaidContent.org, here.
"Google said the new deal is not directly tied to a law passed by France this spring that creates a new royalty collection mechanism for out-of-print works that will be owned in part by the state and managed in part by the Bibliothèque nationale. But the company added the law is accelerating efforts to put digital copies of the publishers’ books into circulation" (emphasis added).

AGCM AVVIA ISTRUTTORIA NEI CONFRONTI DEL CONSIGLIO NOTARILE DI MILANO PER POSSIBILE INTESA RESTRITTIVA DELLA CONCORRENZA

Provvedimento n. 23606, qui

Monday, June 11, 2012

MS and privacy: data on people’s online behaviour are worth both paying for and arguing over

The Economist, here

Libraries 2020: Imagining the library of the (not too distant) future

K. Purcell, here (slide 52 ff.). 

Google: Writing a new chapter for French books

Googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.com, here

A Conundrum of Permissions: Installing Applications on an Android Smartphone

P. Gage Kelley, S.  Consolvo, L. Faith Cranor, J. Jung, N. Sadeh, D. Wetherall, here

Pharmaceutical prices under regulation: Tiered copayments and reference pricing in Germany

A. Herr, M. Suppliet, here

Curing the Problem of Software Patents

M. Risch, here

Anti-Piracy Patent Stops Students From Sharing Textbooks

TorrentFreak, here

OFT’s Proposed Reforms Fall Short of Ensuring Independence in Antitrust Decision Making

B. Lyons, here

Piratenpartei CH zur Modernisierung des Urheberrechts

Positionspapier, hier

Argentina takes steps towards open access law

Scidev.net, here

Wasserpreise: Flucht ins Trockene

Faz.net, hier

Antitrust enforcement: Challenges old and new

J. Almunia, here

Friday, June 08, 2012

China amends patent law in fight for cheaper drugs

Reuters.com, here

Sharing the knowledge burden

The Economist, here

AstraZeneca V. EC — Reflections on the Advocate General’s Opinion

Covington & Burling LLP, here

Comune di Sestu (Sardegna) pubblica i dati di bilancio secondo i criteri degli open data

Notizia qui; Sestu qui

Getting Started with Open Data: A Guide for Transportation Agencies

S. Kaufman, R. Wagner, here

Google's Antitrust Problem is All About Privacy

Slate.com, here

New licence will allow law firm clients free access to publishers' work

Out-law.com, here

Patent Oppositions as Competitive Tools: An Analysis of the Major Players in the European Market of White Goods

A. Sterlacchini, here

Piraten und Urheberrecht: eine Übersicht

Piratenpartei-bayern.de, hier

L’OPEN DATA À LA CROISÉE DES CHEMINS JURIDIQUES

Owni.fr, ici

Kleine Tankstellen gegen große Mineralölkonzerne

Deutscher Bundestag, hier

FTC on import bans in matters involving RAND-encumbered standard essential patents

Statement to the International Trade Commission, here.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

AMICI CURIAE US AND FTC ON WALKER PROCESS CLAIMS

RITZ CAMERA & IMAGE, LLC, v. SANDISK CORPORATION, here

L’ouverture des données publiques (« Open data »)

Conseil national du numérique, ici.

Energiewende - „Auf uns rollt ein Kosten-Tsunami zu“

Faz.net, hier

Shining Light into Black Boxes

A. Morin,  J. Urban, P. D. Adams, I. Foster, A. Sali,  D. Baker, P. Sliz, here

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

TF1 v YouTube

Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, JUGEMENT rendu le 29 Mai 2012, N° RG : 10/11205, ici.

Google wants greater French acceptance after winning TF1 copyright case

Paidcontent.org, here

PEER Economics Report

ASK Centre, Bocconi University, here

(Some) Publishers Support Sustainable Open Access

Stm-assoc.org, here

Making Open Access a Reality for Science

N. Kroes, here

An Unpopular Solution to the Private Enforcement Problem in the UK

A. Stephan, here

Conclusion of Copyright Debate in Canada Leaves Many What Ifs...

M. Geist, here

Patentability of royalties mechanism concept called into question by US Supreme Court

Out-law.com, here

Laboratorio Futuro

L'Espresso, qui (disclosure: lavoro all'Università di Trento).

World Bank Live Event Report: Open Access Policy and Development

Creativecommons.org, here

ECN activities in the food sector

ECN Subgroup Food, here

BMG Rights Management und GEMA schließen Vereinbarung zur Lizenzierung der anglo-amerikanischen Onlinerechte in ganz Europa

Gema.de, hier

»FAZ« und »SZ« mahnen Internet-Monitoringdienst wegen Urheber- und Markenrechtsverletzung ab

Institut für Urheber- und Medienrecht, hier

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

L’exploitation numérique des livres indisponibles du XXe siècle présentée aux belges

Lettresnumeriques.be, ici

Patent wars abuse the system

J. Bessen, here.

Zwölf Thesen für ein faires und zeitgemäßes Urheberrecht


SPD-Bundestagsfraktion, Arbeitskreis Urheberrecht,
These N. 11: "Die SPD steht für ein wissenschafts- und bildungsfreundliches Urheberrecht. Dafür müssen die
Rahmenbedingungen  angepasst werden.  Wir brauchen ein Zweitverwertungsrecht für wissenschaftliche Autoren, die ihre Beiträge neben der Verlagspublikation z.B. auf den Seiten der
Hochschule zugänglich machen wollen. Wir treten  außerdem für eine Überprüfung der
Bildungs- und Wissenschaftsschranken ein. Insbesondere die Intranetnutzung in Schulen und
Hochschulen muss dauerhaft auf eine rechtssichere Grundlage gestellt und die
Schrankenbestimmung für die öffentliche Zugänglichmachung für Unterricht und Forschung
entfristet werden."

Competition and Online Search - Blog Symposium Recap

Antitrust & Competition Policy Blog, here

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Ouvrir son WiFi n'est pas illégal en Finlande

Numerama, ici

Avviata una consultazione pubblica per la nuova comunicazione sugli impegni

AGCM, qui 

Refusal to dismiss the class plaintiffs’ antitrust claims against Apple and the e-book sellers

Southern District of New York (Cote, J.),  Electronic Books Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 11-MD-2293 (DLC), here.
Apple's "contentions misconstrue the nature of the agreement
described in the Complaint.  Regardless of the nature of the
specific terms of the vertical Agency Agreements when examined
in isolation, the CAC plausibly alleges a horizontal agreement
among the publishers, furthered by Apple, to raise the prices of
eBooks and eliminate retail competition.  A horizontal agreement
to fix or raise prices is per se unreasonable", p. 53.

Monday, May 14, 2012

The interface between competition policy and data protection

S. Vezzoso (this blog's author), in Journal of European Competition Law & Practice 2012 (Editorial), here.

Many Libraries - As the world's books go online, we must resist centralization.

Technologyreview.com, here

Key questions in the UK’s shift to open-access research

Blogs.nature.com, here

Inside the Georgia State Opinion

J. Grimmelmann, here

Friday, May 11, 2012

New Competition Law in Portugal

"A new Competition Law has recently been approved by the Portuguese Parliament. This has overcome some of the main drawbacks of the previous law, and has strengthened the powers of the Portuguese Competition Authority. Moreover, a new specialist Court for Competition, Regulation and Supervision has also been created. We are confident that these two major changes are a significant step towards a more effective application of competition law in Portugal", Manuel Sebastião, here. See also Pmlj.com, here

Positionspapier zum Urheberrecht

VG WORT, hier

E-Lending Background Paper

IFLA, here

Markets in IP and Antitrust

H. Hovenkamp, here. Now also as journal article: "Response: Markets in IP and Antitrust" (the question: Is pepsi really a substitute for coke?).

Keeping the Internet Neutral

Nytimes.com, here

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

THE NEED FOR PRIVACY PROTECTIONS: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

FTC, before the COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION - UNITED STATES SENATE, here

Online Sports Data Company not liable for use of Goal statistics from UK football matches

Twobirds.com, here

Does The First Amendment Create A Complete Defense For Google Against Antitrust Regulation?

Searchengineland.com, here

Cloud Computing - Privacy and data protection issues

"Sopot Memorandum", International Working Group on Data Protection in Telecommunications, here

ACTA and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union


DRAFT OPINION of the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairshere

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Conflict Resolution, Public Goods and Patent Thickets

D. Harhoff, G. von Graevenitz, S. Wagner, here

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

Friday, April 27, 2012

FTC Chairman on Do Not Track, Google probe and more

Blog.sfgate.com, here

Financing R&D into medicines particularly needed in resource-poor settings

WHO, Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and
Development: Financing and Coordination, here

AGCM AVVIA ISTRUTTORIA SU UGF-PREMAFIN E SOSPENDE L’OPERAZIONE FINO ALLA CHIUSURA DEL PROCEDIMENTO

Provvedimento qui

Durchbruch für die private Kartellrechtsdurchsetzung im UK? Department for Business Innovation and Skills veröffentlicht Diskussionspaper zum private enforcement

S.Peyer, hier (Gastbeitrag auf Kartellblog). 

USING COPYRIGHT TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND CREATIVE CONTENT

WIPO, here

Digital Archiving

The Economist, here

Competition among competition journals (?)

New: Journal of Antitrust Enforcement. The editors are Ariel Ezrachi and William Kovacic, here.

AU Federal Court on "time shifting"

National Rugby League Investments Pty Limited v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd [2012] FCAFC 59, here

Overview of National Reports About 'Balancing Copyright'

R. Hilty, S. Nérisson, here

Harmonizing Patent Law: The Untamable Union Patent

H. Ullrich, here

Friday, April 20, 2012

Norwegian Competition Authority against fixed book price law

Press release, here

Oracle/Google: Rumble in the Java jungle

The Economist, here. On tech issues behind the legal dispute read also here (from news.cnet.com)

AU High Court rules in favour of iiNet

Summary here; judgment here

Turning Smartphones into Mobile Wallets – What Are the Issues?



Techpolicy.com, here.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012