Law Commons^™

Protection Of Test Data Under Article 39.3 Of The Trips Agreement: Advancements And Challenges After 25+ Years Of Interpretation And Application, Eric M. Solovy

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Among the types of intellectual property rights covered by the TRIPS Agreement, WTO Members must, pursuant to Article 39.3, protect certain test and other data submitted “as a condition of approving the marketing of pharmaceutical or of agricultural chemical products.” Such protection provides the incentives necessary for the biopharmaceutical industry to conduct the lengthy, expensive multi-phased clinical testing that is required to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of a new drug or vaccine.

Test data protection has become increasingly more important to the development of new medicines in the past several years. That is in significant part because biologics (i.e., …

European Community Compulsory Licensing Policy: Heresy Versus Commen Sense Symposium On European Competition Law , Frank Fine

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

There is a growing trend to limit the rights of intellectual property owners when the public interest warrants. Until very recently, this phenomenon has been manifested only at a transnational level.1 For example, the World Trade Organization, as recently as November 2001, in its Doha Agreement ("Doha"),2 enabled certain nations of the Asian and African subcontinents to obtain compulsory licenses to manufacture and distribute domestically certain anti-retroviral drugs by declaring a state of national health emergency. Doha raises an intriguing question: if limited intrusions into valuable intellectual property rights may be justified on public health grounds, should not such intrusions …

How Far Have We Come, And Where Do We Go From Here: The Status Of Global Computer Software Protection Under The Trips Agreement, Aaron D. Charfoos

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

The TRIPS agreement made significant advances over the pre-TRIPS international regime with respect to the protection of computer software. There are at least two significant advances. First, computer software protections have been embedded into the new dispute resolution procedures. Second, both object and source code are protected under the copyright sections of the Agreement. The dispute resolution procedures provide back-end protection (protection after offenses have occurred), while new copyright provisions provide affirmative front-end protection (protection deterring such offenses). However, the Agreement could have, and should have, gone farther to protect the software industry. By not formally deciding on the ability …

Enforcement Against Counterfeiting In The People's Republic Of China, Daniel C.K. Chow

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Although the discussion in this Article is limited to counterfeiting in China, many of the issues discussed are endemic to the Chinese legal system as a whole, and apply also to other intellectual property rights, such as copyright piracy and patent infringements. Moreover, many of the themes raised in this Article also illuminate the current state of the nascent Chinese legal system as a whole and how its capacity is tested as it continues the struggle to keep pace with China's many economic reforms and accompanying social changes. Part I of this Article begins with a review of the enforcement …

Licensing On The Global Information Infrastructure: Disharmony In Cyberspace, Raymond T. Nimmer

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This article explores some of the issues in international licensing and, particularly, in the evolution of information-based contracts.

The Limits Placed By Eec Law On Territorial Protection In Patent Licensing: A Case Study In Community Law-Making, Donald L. Holley

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

In this article, Mr. Holley examines the ways in which the EEC Commission's interpretations of the EEC Treaty, European Court decisions, and suggestions made by Member States and industry influence the development of EEC law. By focusing on the Commission's draft patent licensing regulation, the author identifies existing conflicts between preserving patent rights and the EEC objectives of protecting competition and the free flow of goods among the Member States.