In today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Obama Administration’s 2012 Trade Agenda, Sen. Wyden pressed U.S. Trade Representative Kirk on ACTA. He referred to the Obama’s Administration’s assertion that ACTA is legally binding, and asked about the potential consequences.…
Today Representative Darrell Issa has issued a press release blasting the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Issa notes that the agreement was negotiated in secret, may lead to poor consequences for consumers, and “appears to be an unconstitutional power grab begun by…
Infojustice Roundup Intellectual Property and the Public Interest News from the TPP Negotiations in Melbourne The eleventh round of Trans Pacific Partnership Negotiations is being held from March 1-9 in Melbourne, Australia. Infojustice has posted the following related blogs: An…
February 28: MEP and ACTA Rapporteur David Martin indicated he wants the European Parliament to refer ACTA to the European Court of Justice to ensure that the agreement does not conflict with other treaty obligations and EU Common Law. [see…
As the U.S. enters a new round of TPP negotiations this week, it is being asked to initiate a formal trade dispute with one of the other countries at the negotiating table. Inside U.S. Trade reports that Senator Hatch has…
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the sponsors of the Research Works Act – Reps. Issa and Maloney – have pledged not to move the legislation forward. The Research Works Act would have prevented government agencies that disburse grants…
Infojustice Roundup Intellectual Property and the Public Interest Interagency Committee Hears Testimony for the 2012 Special 301 Report On February 23, the Special 301 Committee held its third annual opening hearing as part of its review of foreign countries’ intellectual…
On February 28, the Indian Supreme Court had been scheduled to hear arguments in Novartis’ challenge to the patentability criteria of the Indian Patents Act. On the 27th, PharmaBiz.com reported that the hearing may be delayed until some time in…
On February 22, EC Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht announced that the Commission has referred ACTA to the European Court of Justice. The court has been asked “to assess whether ACTA is incompatible – in any way – with the…
The “Africa IP Forum,” originally cosponsored by WIPO, numerous intellectual property rightholders, and a handfull of governments, has been postponed. Civil society groups objected to the conference’s corporate sponsorship and IP-maximalist agenda, and had pushed for the cancellation of the…
On February 23, the Special 301 Committee held its third annual opening hearing as part of its review of foreign countries’ intellectual property policies. The committee was chaired by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation Stan McCoy. …
The U.S. government has an unfortunate history of pressuring low- and middle-income countries to observe strong intellectual property protection on medicines. This blocks access to generics in countries unable to afford expensive brand name drugs sold by American drug companies. …