European Union Intellectual Property Rights Law and Policy Nation states within the European Union work to standardize their national laws for intellectual property rights to a single uniform standard within the European Community. International agreements, or "Directives" are passed at the EU level that have binding effect upon the nations within the Community. Intellectual property rights is one of the most hotly contested policy issues at the EU-level, particularly as new states join the EU. Therefore the EU Parliament receives frequent proposals to revise European law dealing with intellectual property rights. The most noteworthy EU Directive in the area is the 2001 EU Copyright Directive, which among other things, outlawed bypassing digital locks on movies or CDs. But a new court decision from Finland has narrowed the directive's ability to ban "ineffective" measures, such as that used on DVDs.

• 2007 Proposed EU Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive No. 2 (IPRED2)

• CODE: Campaign for an Open Digital Environment (CODE) & the 2004 EU Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive No. 1 (passed)

Key European Union Directives on Copyright and Related Rights:

• 2001 EU Copyright Directive (Directive 2001/29/EC)
• 2006 EU Directive on Term of Copyright Protection (Directive 2006/116/EC)
• 2006 EU Directive on Lending and Rental Right for IPR (Directive 2006/115/EC)
• 1996 EU Database Directive (Directive 1996/9/EC)
• 1993 EU Directive on Copyright, Satellite, Cable (Directive 1993/83/ EEC)

See also:

• 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

EU IPR Policy

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  The European Union's highest court issued a key legal ruling overturning a Belgian law that would have required Internet service providers to monitor all Internet traffic passing through their systems with the goal of protecting copyright holders' rights.  In a closely watched case, the European Court of Justice struck down a Belgian court ruling from 2007 that forced ISPs to ...

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  The Copyright for Creativity Declaration embodies a new approach to European copyright - an approach where everyone benefits, innovation is fostered, creativity is incentivised and rewarded and access to the fruits of the European creative spirit is improved for all Europeans. IP Justice is proud to be among the original signatories to the Declaration and encourages others to consider ...

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  Two international intellectual property policy groups IP Justice and the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) filed an Amicus Curiae Brief in the United States Supreme Court in the Bilski v. Kappos case dealing with software patents. The US Supreme Court's decision in this case is expected to be a landmark decision on the limits of patentability ...

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  The European Parliament has demanded more transparency in the EU, and it made a point of singling out the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Parliament has been considering a general transparency bill, but one amendment to the bill demanded access to ACTA documents—access that negotiators have so far been unwilling to provide. "In accordance with Article 255(1) of the ...

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  "As negotiations on the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) continued in Paris this week with again no public details the European Parliament Thursday sent a strong signal by requesting transparency in the negotiations. Parliament meeting in Strasbourg on 18 December passed a resolution on the impact of counterfeiting in international trade “calls on the [European] Commission and the member ...

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  The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) has requested 12 secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) documents from the EU Council. Behind closed doors, the EU, US, Japan and other countries are negotiating ACTA. The negotiating parties plan on making the ACTA text public only after the parties have agreed to it. Based on leaked information, the FFII is ...

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  Behind closed doors the EU, US, Japan and other countries negotiate an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). A leaked discussion paper mentions types of provisions that could be included. According to the European Commission's website, a "path breaking" agreement is foreseen. For this reason the Commission likes to work outside the normal formal structures. Indeed, the leaked document contains unprecedented measures. ...

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  By Duncan Matthews (Queens Mary University of London)

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  Read Text of GB Declaration on a World Economy and G8's Pledge to Increase Intellectual Property Rights and International Enforcement and to Deputize Customs Agents to Search and Seize Laptops, iPods, and PDA's of Unsuspected Citizens in Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

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