Around the IP Blogs

* Marques Class 46 

Madrid at 125: the Year in Review

“Some cynics might say that this isn't much to celebrate, since the original Agreement was little better than useless for the vast majority of countries on this planet -- but things really changed once the Protocol kick-started the real, modern processes that we nowadays are in danger of taking for granted” -- Marques Class 46 celebrates the 125 anniversary of the Madrid Agreement and reviews its notable achievements. A review from WIPO can be found here. 

Arbitrating a domain name or trade mark dispute? WIPO scores well

WIPO reports the results of a survey that suggest the organization has become one of the most popular forums for the settlement of disputes in the field of what is often called TMT ("technology, media and telecoms"). 

* The 1709 Blog

2016 THE COPYRIGHT YEAR

Caution! Claws in darkness ... 

This lengthy yet very readable post thoroughly reviews 2016 the Copyright Year and hits the main highlighted incidents/cases -- including “monkeys and pirates, tattooists and cheer leaders, turtles and trolls, and Trekkies and transformers”, loads of fun.  

Those who live by the Sword (of Justice) must be prepared to die by the Sword

Andy brings his Christmas regards to readers, which blended the “warnings of darkness” that lurk around the “Sword of Justice”.

Sirius XM triumph in New York appellate court

New York's highest court has ruled that Sirius XM does not have to get permission, or pay compensation, to the owners of pre-1972 music recordings in order to play their tracks in the case brought by the owners of The Turtle's 1967 hit "Happy Together."

* IP Finance

"The winner takes it all" (or at least most), productivity and frontier companies: how does IP fit in?

As a commentary to the article The great divergence posted on the Economist magazine, Kat Neil Wilkof shares his observations on the roles that IP play in productivities and the frontier companies. 

OneTeam Collective: A New University Accelerator to Promote the Use of IP to Develop New Ventures

Mike Mireles reports the collaboration in U.S. called “OneTeam Collective” between the the National Football League Player’s Association (NFLPA), NFL athletes, venture capitalists, and Harvard University, among others, in the form of something like an incubator. The gist of the idea is to allow easy licensing and exploitation of IP rights of NFL athletes by start-ups -- “NFL Players Association is launching an accelerator to trade IP rights for equity.”

Patently Faulty and Discredited Smartphone Licensing Cost Figure in Commissioner Vestager's Speech on Excessive Prices

Not having yet embraced the spirit of the festive season, Keith Mallinson takes issue with the “irresponsible” speech which was given by the European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager last month about the “$120 licensing fee per smartphone”. The blogger urges for a post-“post-truth” -- “Public officials should be more transparent about where the “facts” and figures they use to support their arguments and wishes come from”. 

EU Competition Commissioner Vestager is Wrong to Claim Smartphone Royalties are Excessive and Unjustified

Later, Keith Mallinson introduces readers to Trevor Soames and his comments in response to Margrethe Vestager’s speech, the policy issues that it raises and the wrongful identification of SEPs as being a supposed example of excessive pricing -- The Opening of the Door: is Excessive Pricing Control under Article 102 TFEU coming back into vogue.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Ana Barbara Ribeiro Ramalho.