Copyright, Interop Activity at EU

Intllectual Property Watch | 17 Jul 2008

The European Commission has adopted a new IPR strategy ensuring that all EU states adopt its Enforcement Directive and seeking stronger global enforcement of IP rights, including an anti-counterfeiting treaty. The Commission said it will prepare the ground for Europe’s accession to the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks and work toward the harmonisation of international patent law. The strategy also calls for the Commission to participate actively in international talks aimed at helping the developing world realise the potential of their industrial property rights. The plan garnered praise from Association for Competitive Technology President Jonathan Zuck. Small business inventors, who drive growth and job creation in the EU, need high quality patents, he said. Also this week, the Commission published for comment a draft of its revised EIF. The framework is intended to encourage governments to increase information-sharing by, among other things, adopting open standards and specifications (IPW, European Policy, 2 July 2008). The draft is a more balanced and practical effort to achieve interoperability between the information and communications technologies of European governments, according to Zuck. Instead of prescribing strict technology mandates, the draft heads in the direction of focussing on the goals of interoperability, he said.

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