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.
Key European Union Directives on Copyright and Related Rights:
See also:
10 May, 2010: Copyright for Creativity - A Declaration for Europe
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 ...
8 Oct, 2009: IP Justice and Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure File Amicus Brief to US Supreme Court on Software Patents
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 ...
18 Apr, 2009: Robin Gross on CBC Radio’s “As It Happens” to Discuss Sweden’s Pirate Bay Legal Decision 
12 Mar, 2009: European Parliament to EU: Turn over ACTA docs! (Ars Technica)
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 ...
20 Dec, 2008: No ACTA Deal Yet As EU Parliament Seeks Narrower Scope, More Transparency (IP-Watch)
"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 ...
3 Nov, 2008: European NGO FFII Opposes Stealth Legislation, Demands ACTA Documents Be Made Public
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 ...
2 Nov, 2008: EU NGO (FFII) Analysis of Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty (ACTA)
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. ...
10 Jul, 2008: The fight Against Counterfeiting and Piracy in the Bilateral Trade Agreements of the EU (EU Parliament Briefing Paper)
By Duncan Matthews (Queens Mary University of London)
9 Jul, 2008: G8 Declaration on the World Economy
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)
30 Apr, 2008: “The Problem with the Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty (and What To Do About It)” by Aaron Shaw (KEI Studies)
In mid-February 2008, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a request for public comments on the proposed “Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement” (ACTA). However, with the exception of a handful of press releases, information about the proposal itself remains scarce. Mainstream media outlets have printed USTR officials' talking points about the importance of winning “the fight against fakes,” ...
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