Post Tagged with: "Intellectual Property"

European Commission Conducts Survey on IP Enforcement

The European Commission is conducting a USTR Special 301-like survey on IP enforcement in non-EU countries.  The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2008.

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April 22, 2008 1 comment News

World Economic Forum Ranks Canada Ahead of U.S. on IP Protection

There is considerable discussion today about a new report from the World Economic Forum on "network readiness."  The U.S. ranks fourth worldwide, while Canada fares poorly overall, ranking 13th in the world (down from 11th last year).   Canada ranks toward the very top in a number of categories including personal […]

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April 9, 2008 8 comments News

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Opposed Ontario Chamber IP Report

Earlier this week, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce released a report on intellectual property.  I argued that the claims were completely lacking in statistical rigour and that the Chamber did little more than embarrass itself and its members.  Apparently, one of its members was indeed embarrassed by the report and […]

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December 6, 2007 Comments are Disabled News

Canada Expresses Concern With IP Clauses in UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Sara Bannerman notes that Canada's decision to vote against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has an intellectual property law component as the government has indicated that it has concerns with the declaration's IP provision that grants indigenous peoples "the right to maintain, control, protect and develop […]

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September 14, 2007 1 comment News

The SPP on IP

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, which brings together the leaders of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, concluded this afternoon with a series of new agreements and strategies.  Given the U.S. involvement, it should come as no surprise to find that an Intellectual Property Action Strategy forms a core part of the summit's final documentation.  The document, which focuses on counterfeiting and piracy, includes three broad action items:

  • "Detect and Deter Trade in Pirated and Counterfeit Goods," including developing best practices for enforcement, creating an enforcement network, increase collaboration on IP enforcement, and increased attention on border enforcement.  Note that "digital piracy" is specifically identified as an issue for future work.
  • "Public Awareness and Outreach," which includes greater co-operation between government and industry with increased information sharing.  Lobby groups such as the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network will conduct joint seminars with its US and Mexican counterparts on best practices and enforcement.  The strategy also envisions policy roundtables and public awareness campaigns.  The three countries will combine on a new website that will post articles about IP enforcement around the world, while industry has promised to develop a code of ethics for online transactions as well as a database on the benefits of IP and the dangers of counterfeiting and piracy.
  • "Measuring Piracy and Counterfeiting," which includes developing baseline data on these issues, highlighting the effects of IP in each country's economy, and facilitating the collection of counterfeiting and piracy data.

All of these measures were entirely predictable, given that they are precisely what the North American Competitiveness Council recommended earlier this year.  With that in mind, it bears noting what else the NACC recommended for completion by 2008, since it telegraphs what is on the horizon.  

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August 21, 2007 6 comments News