Monday, May 09, 2011

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

Is Google a Monopolist?

Interview (Part 1, Part 2) with S.Vaidhyanathan, from TechCrunchTV. 

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie? The Supply of New Recorded Music since Napster

J.Waldfogel, here

Canadian-backed report says music, movie, and software piracy is a market failure, not a legal one

M.Geist, here

Creative Destruction and Copyright Protection - Regulatory Responses to File-sharing

Z. Sujon, D.Tambini, here

SGEI reform and the application of competition rules to the financial sector: themes for dialogue with the European Parliament

J.Almunia, here.

Righthaven: fair use analysis of the republication of an entire news article by a nonprofit organization

From EFF, here. Read also J.Schultz's Amicus Curiae

Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, Inventec over Android e-readers

ZDNet, here. Complaint here. Read also this Groklaw's post.