This book offers empirical analyses of conflicts over the ownership, control, and use of knowledge and information in developed and developing countries. Sebastian Haunss and Kenneth C. Shadlen, along with a collection of eminent contributors, focus on how business organizations, farmers, social movements, legal communities, state officials, transnational enterprises, and international organizations shape IP policies in areas such as health, information-communication technologies, indigenous knowledge, genetic resources, and many others. The innovative and original chapters examine conflicts over the rules governing various dimensions of IP, including patents, copyrights, traditional knowledge, and biosafety regulations. Written from a political perspective, this book is a must-read for political scientists, sociologists and anthropologists who study IP and conflicts over property. It is also an essential read for stakeholders in institutions, NGOs and industry interested in knowledge governance and IP politics.

Intellectual Property Law in The Netherlands deals with IP rights, unfair competition law, internet-related aspects, and procedural law aspects. Since Dutch IP law is of an increasingly European character, the relevant EC law aspects and the decisions of the European Court of Justice are also discussed. This volume offers a practical guidance for both in-house counsels and IP lawyers who encounter Dutch IP law issues. Intellectual Property Law in The Netherlands covers an area that is practised in several law firms in The Netherlands. There are only a few, however, that provide the in-depth expertise that meets the degree of sophistication demanded by the international business community. Allen & Overy is unanimously recognized as one of the few belonging to the first tier of leading IP firms. The Amsterdam IP practice group closely co-operates with the IP departments of Allen & Overy in other countries, and Allen & Overy's cross-border CMT Group (Communications, Media, and Technology).

This book explores the intersection between artificial intelligence and two intellectual property rights: copyright and patents. The increasing use of artificial intelligence for generating creative and innovative output has an impact on copyright and patent laws around the world. The book aims to map and analyse that impact. The author considers how artificial intelligence systems may aid, or in some cases substitute for, human creators and inventors in the creative process. It is from this angle that the copyright and patent regimes in four jurisdictions (Europe, the United States, Australia and Japan) are investigated in depth. The author describes how these jurisdictions look at works and inventions generated through a process where artificial intelligence is present or prevalent, and examines how copyright and patent regimes should adapt to the reality of artificially intelligent creators and inventors. As the use of artificial intelligence to generate creative and innovative products becomes more common, this book will be a valuable resource to researchers, academics and policy makers alike.

Although the commercial activity of merchandising - the use of names or images or other representative elements to enhance the promotion or sale of products or services - has been known for over a century, it is only since the latter years of the 20th century that it has been significant enough to merit treatment as a distinct subject of intellectual property law. Yet, to date, no specific law governing merchandising exists in any country. This book asks if such a law should exist-specifically, a uniform law at the international level. The book focuses on the legal strategy and monitoring of merchandising campaigns of a cross-border nature in 17 European countries. Drawing on the local expertise of contributing authors from each country, it presents a detailed comparative analysis of the manifold legal issues related to merchandising practices. These include the following: the inadequacy of trade mark licenses to encompass the "affinity" motive of the purchaser of merchandising; the overlapping rights of a manufacturer and a merchandiser in the same product; deficiencies in unfair competition law concerning merchandising; the question of whether merchandising symbols could be registered in a manner analogous to (but distinct from) trade marks; the question of whether copyright law may be extended to protect the merchandising use of a copyrighted or copyrightable element; the ownership of merchandising rights; and the question of whether a merchandising right can persist after the protection of the symbol itself has lapsed. "Character Merchandising in Europe" marshals evidence that merchandising law, although it can hardly be said to exist as such, is nonetheless implied in an extensive body of pronouncements from the various fields of intellectual property law. This perception is supported by the first judicial decision on the protection of merchandising activities, recently rendered by the European Court of Justice and supplied in full text as an annexe to this volume.

There is a growing body of scholarship analysing the many international organizations, government agencies and civil society groups whose activities define the relationship between human rights and intellectual property. This timely and engaging volume illustrates the richness and diversity of this literature. It explores the wider historical and institutional context of these topics; the meaning of key international instruments; writings that clarify ambiguous legal norms; works that advocate the recognition of new legal norms; institutional and strategic issues and critical or cautionary perspectives. Including an original introduction by Professor Helfer, a leading scholar in the field, this is a must-have volume that will be of use to lawyers, judges, legal scholars and researchers interested in the areas of intellectual property and human rights and their intersection.

This Research Handbook explores contemporary intangible cultural heritage (ICH) from the perspectives of both law and heritage. It questions, probes and interrogates many different aspects of contemporary ICH, including the definitions and legal frameworks designed to safeguard it. In doing so the Research Handbook highlights not only gaps and inconsistencies, but also questions the relevance, of the legal framework as it applies to ICH itself. Each chapter is concerned with a different aspect of contemporary ICH, international treaties and the law, including the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. A diverse range of contemporary examples are explored, ranging from the local and global identity of migrant children, to language and the Berlin techno music scene. Taken collectively, and with its focus on ?'contemporary?' culture, this Handbook is a departure from the established discourse that tends to include some forms of heritage to the exclusion of others. The authors challenge the authority of existing legal instruments, expose their limitations and propose innovative ways in which contemporary forms of ICH can be safeguarded, whether via the law or other means. This innovative Handbook will be of great interest to academics researching the legal protection of ICH and the relationship between ICH, human rights, communities, identity and international trade. Those with an interest in the protection of a-typical intellectual property will also find this Handbook to be a source of valuable information. Contributors include: L. Belder, J. Blake, M. Blakely, A. Brown, J. Brown, N. Chipangura, L. Colomer, C. Cummings, Y. Donders, H. Enright, A. Figaroa, S. Harding, L. Lixinski, F. Macmillan, M. Pavis, J. Schofield, V. Vadi, J. van Donkersgoed, A. Vavaide, C. Waelde

With an acceleration in the last decades, the language of property, piracy and theft has become mainstream in copyright matters. Scholars have argued that this latent propertization has progressively led to the undue expansion of copyright and an enclosure of knowledge, causing clashes with users' fundamental rights and EU social and cultural policies. Challenging the validity of such critiques, Propertizing European Copyright demonstrates that these distortive effects are only the result of mishandled property rhetoric and that a commitment to copyright propertization could enable a more internally consistent and balanced development of EU copyright law. To prove the point, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of causes and effects of propertization in copyright history, comparing the impact of private and constitutional property doctrines in selected national experiences with the unsystematic propertization of EU copyright. The author argues for a systemization of EU copyright law, and provides practical examples of how propertization could help tackling the pitfalls of the harmonization process, achieving a greater interpretative coherence and a more stable copyright balance. Academics and policy makers engaged in the debate on EU copyright harmonization will find the multidisciplinary approach employed in this work compelling. Judges, practitioners and graduate students interested in deepening their knowledge of the construction of EU copyright will also find in this book an all-encompassing resource, rich in practical and theoretical insight.

In the initial phase, start-ups often overlook the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) assets in favour of concentrating on the business idea. This can leave the business exposed to both financial and creative risk. This highly practical book highlights the need for start-ups to protect their IP from the outset. It outlines the basics of IP in a start-up context and gives guidance to founders and their advisors in developing a successful IP strategy, including building patent portfolios, contract drafting, financing, due diligence and asset management. Key Features: 'Best practice' on IP strategy for start-ups and beyond Guidance on how IP can be protected and how infringements of third-party rights can be avoided Practical advice on the role of IP in valuing and financing a business Review of the the legal ramifications and pitfalls of failing to properly protect IP Accessible writing style and use of illustrative case studies Author team with vast experience of advising start-ups, and consulting on IP matters in mergers and acquisitions transactions. Legal practitioners and auditing and consulting companies will find this an invaluable resource for avoiding the pitfalls during due diligence. Investors and founders of companies will appreciate the practical information on protecting their IP assets and reducing the risk of legal losses.

For this comprehensive collection, the editor has brought together key readings on the subject of the law and economics of intellectual property rights - patents, copyrights and trademarks. It provides a judicious selection of the most important published research on this crucial topic, drawing equally from the law and economics literature. It thus brings together frequently cited classic articles that are rarely encountered in a single published source. The articles have been selected on the basis of three primary criteria: their continuing influence in legal and economic discussions; their longevity (important in a field where the volume of published work is very large and growing very quickly); and their relevance to contemporary theoretical and policy debates. The chosen writings delve deeply into theory, empirics, and institutional detail, ranging from Edwin Mansfield's early, influential study on patents and imitation costs, to very recent work on the relationship between copyright law and the first amendment. This collection makes an indispensable desk reference for scholars of intellectual property rights.

The Development Agenda is the result of the recent campaign to ensure that the intellectual property treaty regime permits -- and, indeed, empowers -- developing countries to tailor their intellectual property laws as they deem necessary to promote development and serve the welfare of their citizens. The Agenda's adoption by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in September 2007 was an historic watershed for that UN agency, which has long viewed its mandate as the unabashed promotion of greater intellectual property rights throughout the world.
Written by some of the world's leading IP scholars, Neil W. Netanel has edited this compilation of articles in order to examine the Development Agenda and the broader issues it touches upon. Contributors include leading scholars from various disciplines, including economics, political science, and law, and from countries at various stages of development, including China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Nigeria, Egypt, and Israel, in addition to the US, Canada, and EU. They also include experts from NGO-think tanks, UNCTAD, and the two Brazilian diplomats who were the leading advocates of the Development Agenda's adoption.

This timely Handbook marks a major shift in innovation studies, moving the focus of attention from the standard intellectual property regimes of copyright, patent, and trademark, to an exploration of trade secrecy and the laws governing know-how, tacit knowledge, and confidential relationships. The editors introduce the long tradition of trade secrecy protection and its emerging importance as a focus of scholarly inquiry. The book then presents theoretical, doctrinal, and comparative considerations of the foundations of trade secrecy, before moving on to study the impact of trade secrecy regimes on innovation and on other social values. Coverage includes topics such as sharing norms, expressive interests, culture, politics, competition, health, and the environment. This important Handbook offers the first modern exploration of trade secrecy law and will strongly appeal to intellectual property academics, and to students and lawyers practicing in the intellectual property area. Professors in competition law, constitutional law and environmental law will also find much to interest them in this book, as will innovation theorists. Contributors include: R.G. Bone, C.M. Correa, R. Denicola, R.S. Eisenberg, V. Falce, H. First, J.C. Fromer, G. Ghidini, C.T. Graves, M.A. Lemley, D.S. Levine, D.E. Long, M.L. Lyndon, M.J. Madison, F.A. Pasquale, J.H. Reichman, M. Risch, P. Samuelson, S.K. Sandeen, G. Van Overwalle, E. von Hippel, D.L. Zimmerman

Protecting the Brand, Volume I: Counterfeiting and Grey Markets is a handbook for law practitioners as well as business executives. It is a unique perspective of best practices in addressing issues around counterfeiting and grey markets - from a legal as well as a business point of view. The authors explore the threats posed by counterfeiting and grey markets to a variety of industries and illuminate what problems these may cause. Before setting forth the range of legal strategies for remedying incidents of counterfeiting and grey markets, the authors outline preventive measures businesses can take to combat the threats, and showcase some of the emerging technologies that can serve as enablers of Brand Protection's 3 IPR's (3 I's= Intelligence, Investigation, Innovation; 3 P's= Protection, Perseverance, Perpetuation; 3 R's= Remedy, Recovery, Rehabilitation).

When is international patent law cooperation and harmonization welfare-enhancing? What is the role of international institutions - WIPO and the WTO - in furthering such harmonization? This book explores these questions from a global welfarist, rationalist perspective. It grounds its analysis in innovation theory and a examination of patent law and prosecution, incorporating the uncertainty of patent law's impact on welfare at a detailed level, dynamic changes, the skewed nature of patent value and the difficulty of textually capturing patent concepts. Using tools from new institutional economics, it explores future design implications for international institutions, analyzing grounds for international cooperation as collective action problems and applying historical, political and transaction cost analyses. Academics, students and practitioners interested in international economic law, specifically in respect of patents, innovation and intellectual property, the TRIPs Agreement, the WTO and WIPO will find this book essential. It will also prove insightful for researchers whose primary background is in international relations or international political economy, but are seeking an introduction to the patent and intellectual property field. Contents: Introduction Part I: Welfare-Enhancing Harmonization 1. Domestic Patent Law, Autarchic Analysis 2. The Value of Diversity: Relaxed Autarchy 3. Bases for Harmonization Part II: International Patent Law Institutions 4. History 5. International Patent Cooperation as Collective Action 6. Institutional Analysis: WIPO and the WTO Conclusions and Implications References

"This Handbook is sure to become the ultimate sourcebook for everyone involved in the emerging field of nanotechnology. I would strongly recommend that any entrepreneur who wishes to begin a nanotechnology company and any investor who wishes to seek funding opportunities in nanotechnology read this work cover to cover. By providing the tools to evaluate this emerging discipline, it is a modern day Pilgrims Progress for professionals in the field."
-Doug Jamison, President and CEO, Harris & Harris Group, Inc.

"This Handbook adeptly explores the complex challenges nanotechnology poses for policy makers and the business community with regard to regulations, intellectual property rights, export control issues, and public and private financing. As a member of Congress active in advancing the development of nanotechnology, I will make great use of the conclusions the authors reach and the recommendations they make as I work with my colleagues on crafting future nanotechnology policy."
-U.S. Representative Mike Honda (CA)
member, House of Representatives Committee on Science

"Chapter by chapter, this book provides comprehensive discussions of the forces that drive the business of nanotechnology today, providing invaluable assistance in avoiding the pitfalls that await start-ups and long-standing corporations alike. It captures the journey we've been through these last few years, and offers the lessons we've learned to those who follow. Every new CEO or CFO of a high-tech company will find this book an invaluable resource."
-John H. Belk, Boeing Technology Ventures, Phantom Works
Chairman, Nanotechnology Steering Committee

"Miller and his colleagues haveattempted a Herculean task and have succeeded with great aplomb. The chapters on FDA review, EPA regulations, and export controls are particularly valuable and not easily accessible elsewhere. Value creation in a nanotech firm is all about intellectual property, and Miller's team excels in this area. The authors are also very adroit at putting a spin on business issues as they specifically apply to nanotech."
-David E. Reisner, PhD, President & CEO of The Nano Group(TM), Inc.
its subsidiaries, Inframat(R) Corp. and US Nanocorp(R), Inc.

"This is the first book to offer in-depth coverage of business, legal, and policy issues for the field of nanotechnology. It is a great resource for anyone seeking to read about the early leaders in nanotechnology business, as well as an authoritative guide for navigating the maze of legal and policy issues facing emerging nanotechnology enterprises."
-Stephen Maebius, Partner at law firm of Foley & Lardner
Leader of the Nanotechnology Industry Team

Due to disagreement between policymakers and innovation economists, antitrust agencies have been rather confused over when and how to use competition law in reference to research and development (R&D) joint ventures and collaborations. This important book dissects the antitrust treatment, in the USA and under EU law, of joint R&D ventures from the 1970s to the present day. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the modifications and amendments made to legal acts and guidelines. It also looks at the slow shift in the scant case law detected both under the antitrust laws of the USA and the competition rules of the EU. Bjoern Lundqvist demonstrates that the prevailing antitrust policies towards R&D collaborations are very similar in the USA and the EU, and that they both mirror a lenient attitude towards collaboration between competitors. Nonetheless, ultimately, the book shows that a more stringent attitude from the antitrust establishment can be discerned, and that the concept of the innovation market could possibly soon have a revival. This fascinating book caters to both researchers and practitioners in competition law and economics. The easy-to-follow chart and boxes will be particularly useful for practitioners when setting up R&D joint ventures.

2020 marks the 50th year of the coming into force of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Convention 1967 and the formal establishment of WIPO. This unique and wide-ranging Research Handbook brings together eminent scholars and experts who assess WIPO's role and programmes during its first half-century, as well as discussing the challenges facing the organization as it enters its second. This comprehensive Research Handbook explores the history and development of WIPO from its conception, through the changing of its mission over time, to its current position as a largely self-financing specialized UN agency. Chapters examine WIPO's education and technical assistance programmes, its relationship with the WTO, its interaction with emerging economies and WIPO's role in treaty interpretation and substantive and procedural harmonization. The Research Handbook on the World Intellectual Property Organization will be a key resource for scholars of trade and development, and intellectual property. It will also be of value to intellectual property practitioners, government officials and non-governmental organizations concerned with intellectual property, trade, development, and human rights issues and advocacy. Contributors include: T. Aplin, M. Blakeney, A.F. Christie, G. Davies, G. Dinwoodie, R. Dreyfus, A. Duxbury, M. Ficsor, S. Frankel, D. Gangjee, D. Gervais, R. Giblin, J. Ginsburg, I. Heath, A. Kur, J. Liedes, D. Lindsay, A. Quaedvlieg, J. Reichman, S. Ricketson, A. Taubman, S. von Lewinski, K. Weatherall, R. Xalabarder, P.K. Yu

This book employs scholarly analysis to ground practical tools for applying the EU Trade Mark law (EUTM) functionality refusal grounds to address business needs when registering trade marks consisting of product characteristics. The study comprehensively examines the absolute grounds for a refusal of registration of functional signs under EUTM. It interprets the functionality refusal grounds through objective tests, focusing on the pro-competition rationale of denying trade mark exclusivity on product features that are technically or aesthetically important for competitors’ ability to trade in alternative products. The work takes a comparative approach looking at the US trade dress functionality doctrine, and a law and economics perspective on the role of trade marks and brands in the marketplace. It explores how competition rules related to market definition and the substitutability of products, as well as marketing and design findings related to branding and aesthetics, could be integrated into the legal assessment of EUTM functionality. The volume will be of interest to academics and researchers working in the areas of Intellectual Property Law, Trade Mark and Design Law, EU Law, Comparative Law, and Branding.

This book provides a clear analysis of the multi-level impacts of the existing international law regime related to genetic resources on developing countries. It does so through a cogent exposition of the different areas of the law pertaining to genetic resources that are relevant and impact on people's rights and livelihoods. Its focus on equity is a welcome addition to the literature.' - Philippe Cullet, University of London, UK'Camena Guneratne's thought-provoking book critically evaluates the clash between the private property approach to genetic resources embedded in international intellectual property conventions, and the competing values embedded in a variety of other conventions and laws. She contests key assumptions behind intellectual property regimes supporting genetic commerce, distinguishing the genetic 'commons' from other types of resource. This book provides a comprehensive scholarly dealing with the topics noted in its title, but also should increase debate about policy failures in responding to the risks to the underprivileged of the instruments we use to pursue our economic interests of the majority.' - Paul Martin, University of New England, Australia 'This is a wonderful book. All to often in the quest to preserve biodiviersity, we forget that the equation of equity hs to be the forefront of the debates on sustainable development. Dr. Guneratne rectifies this mistake.This linkage between biodiversity, politics and international law is of such a high calibre, that it is likely that this work will become a key text for students and scholars alike.' - Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato, New Zealand This book examines current developments in international law which regulate the uses of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and the various property regimes which are applied to these resources by these international agreements. In the current context of the global food crisis, the development and stability of national agricultural systems is an urgent concern, particularly among developing countries. This stability, and national food security, will potentially be threatened if these countries are unable to have free access to agricultural crop plants. This book analyses a range of international agreements including the recently adopted Nagoya Protocol and demonstrates that in their current implementation they favor private ownership of these resources rather than free access. The book takes the position that this is inherently inequitable and these resources should be maintained in the public domain. This book will be of use to a wide range of readers from students and scholars to those working in the fields of trade and intellectual property, human rights, environmental conservation and advocacy on international issues. It contains a rigorous legal analysis of current international law development on the issue based on the negotiations which have taken place in the relevant forums, and will therefore be particularly useful to lawyers and legal scholars. It is also written in an uncomplicated style which makes it readily accessible to non-lawyers and the case studies and empirical data used throughout the book adds to its interest.

Design occupies an important place in the modern world, and European legislatures have made many attempts, both technical and legal, to protect works of design. The proposals by the European Community for a Directive and Regulation in this area are a response to the widely perceived need for a homogeneous and systematic protection of designs. These initiatives, however, should be considered in light of the many interests at stake and the various solutions proposed in the wake of the Community's past experience in the field of patents and trademarks. This commentary presents both an analysis of the complete texts of the proposals in their "historical" context through annotation of the preparatory stages in the legislative process, as well as an in-depth interpretation of the provisions, seen through the eyes of some of the leading experts in the field.

Traditional knowledge protection methods are becoming increasingly out-dated in the face of modern challenges. Focussing on the protection of traditional knowledge and related genetic resources, this book is the first of its kind to amalgamate a novel theoretical framework with the practical applications of the combined theories of Rawls and Coase. The Protection of Traditional Knowledge on Genetic Resources analyzes various means of protection for traditional knowledge that cohere with Rawls? and Coase?s specific objectives regarding fairness and efficiency. It utilizes flexibilities provided by binding international conventions in the field in order to propose alternative methods to protect different forms of traditional knowledge. Frantzeska Papadopoulou reaches the conclusion that property, liability and reward systems are forms of protection that fulfill the fairness and efficiency criteria whilst remaining compliant with the general international legal framework. This book is ideal for international property law and development academics and policy makers, especially those working on international property rights (IPRs), as it proposes a novel methodological framework for the evaluation of IPRs.

This assembly of writings by scholars, lawyers, and judges on the law and policy of trademarks and unfair competition presents a rich offering that ranges across time, place, and perspective. The challenge of revealing the subject s full scope to the interested tyro and yet making experts wonder how they had somehow overlooked this or that critical article is fully met. Professors Dinwoodie and Janis and their publisher deserve thanks for bringing this treasure trove within reach of all with an interest in why and how brands are regulated.' - David Vaver, Osgoode Hall Law School, Canada and University of Oxford, UKThis comprehensive two-volume collection of leading articles in trademark and unfair competition law spans almost a century and three continents, bringing together the most influential and significant scholarly work in this exciting field. These essential volumes, with a new and original introduction by two leading contemporary writers, are organized in a way that highlights essential concepts and will be invaluable both for those taking their first steps in the area and for those seeking to re-acquaint themselves with the classics. 44 articles, dating from 1925 to 2010 Contributors include: B. Beebe, L. Bently, R.S. Brown Jr., W. Cornish, R. Dreyfuss, A. Kur, J. Litman, R. Posner, F. Schechter

This book focuses on analysing how legal systems set the terms for interactions between human beings and plants. The story that the book recounts is one of experimental lawmaking in Ecuador, a country where over the past decade, governmental officials and civil society advocates have attempted to reconfigure how human individuals and institutions relate to nature, by following an "eco-centric" approach to lawmaking. In doing so, Ecuadorian legislators, administrators, and judges have taken seriously the ontologies of non-human entities, including plants, through a process that has required the continuous navigation of tensions with certain "logics" that pervade conventional legal regimes. The book endeavours to disrupt these conventional assumptions and approaches to lawmaking by taking seriously alternative strategies to reconstitute interactions between people and plants. In doing so, the book argues in favour of an "ecological turn" in laws that govern vegetal life. The analysis is based on a close examination of the experiences that lawmakers in Ecuador have had when experimenting with innovative approaches to re-form relationships between human and non-human beings. Concretely, these experiments have yielded constitutional, legislative, and regulatory changes that inform the inquiry of how intellectual property and plant genetic resources laws - both in Ecuador and worldwide - could become more "ecological" in nature. The argument that the book develops is based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork and empirical research in Ecuador, complemented by archival and doctrinal legal analysis. The contents of the book will be of interest to an academic audience of legal scholars and postgraduate students in law, in addition to scholars and students in the fields of anthropology, sociology, socio-legal studies, and science and technology studies.

Do you have a great idea for the next big thing, an eye-catching new corporate logo, or an exciting new business concept? Understand how to safeguard your ideas and creations with this expert guide to the fundamentals of intellectual property. Walking you step-by-step through the processes involved in protecting your great ideas, this book offers all the advice you need to ensure that you're the only one cashing in on your creativity and hard work.