Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Intellectual property law'

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Antons, Christoph Hubert Jakob. "Intellectual property law in Indonesia /." The Hague [u.a.] : Kluwer Law International, 2000. http://www.gbv.de/dms/spk/sbb/recht/toc/31965043X.pdf.

Soepboer, Mick. "Libertarian views on intellectual property law." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4557.

During the elections for the European Parliament in June 2009, an unknown party in Sweden turned out to be very successful. The Pirate Party, campaigning for patents to be scrapped and copyright to last just five years instead of 70, received 7% of the votes in the Scandinavian country, giving the party the right to a seat in the Parliament in Brussels. These modern day pirates are most successful in Sweden, but similar parties exist in the United States and a number of European countries as well. In modern society, copyrights, patents, and other forms of intellectual property play a bigger role in normal life than they did one or two decades ago. This development makes people more aware of all the effects of intellectual property theory and policy cause. It also brings up the discussion concerning whether the original goals of the policies are still being pursued properly. Is the chosen path in IP law still a valid one in this digital age or is it time to rethink the structure?

Moore, Adam D. "A Lockean Theory of Intellectual Property." Connect to resource, 1997. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1214419634.

Fraessdorf, Henning. "Intellectual property in standards." Thesis, McGill University, 2002. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=78214.

Standards are complex phenomena that exist in almost every area of human life, whether in the form of language, stock scenes in literature and films, computer user interfaces or protocols that allow data transfer over the internet. They are important building blocks for any form of human activity. Property rights in standards, provided by the laws of intellectual property, can foster their development by giving incentives to create technologies or works that are capable to become standards; but property rights can also impede further innovation since they allow the owner to exclude others from the use of the protected standard. Furthermore, standards are perceived to offer higher returns in form of royalties than "regular" technologies. In this context, standardization has been used as an argument to reduce the scope of protection for standard technologies with respect to computer user interfaces.
The thesis evaluates the soundness of a general argument of standardization for weaker protection in intellectual property law. It elaborates the arguments that are put forward to justify weaker protection in standards regarding the characteristics of standards and standardization as well as the justifications for intellectual property. It analyses the applicability of trademark, copyright and patent law to both already existing as well as developing standards. In particular, the concepts of genericness and descriptiveness in trademark law, the merger and scenes a faire doctrines in copyright law and the doctrines of patent misuse and patent abuse in patent law are discussed.

Bhattacharya, Raja. "Intellectual property rights in outer space." Thesis, McGill University, 2002. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=78203.

Private entities, investing billions of dollars, as a matter of reasonable commercial corporate expectations, want to be protected against undue use, exploitation and copying of their technology and inventions which they have put into their space ventures (often termed as 'theft') by any third party. States, to secure an environment friendly to such generation, use and transfer of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in outer space, have initiated applying and/or extending their national IP laws into outer space either in form of a statute or a multilateral agreement. This may have both commercial and political significance.
This thesis deals with IP issues in international perspective (with reference, however, to some leading national IP legislation when and where it is necessary) with special reference to the contemporary legal regime governing outer space. While emphasizing the existing legal regime relating to IPRs in outer space, it explores the possibility of commercial exploitation of IPRs made in space and on ground through the existing international trade system. The increasing importance of cooperation between the World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization in this regard is also examined, against the back drop of space activities and the outer space legal regime relating to IPRs. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Fonseca, Da Silva Antonio Carlos. "Limiting intellectual property : the competition interface." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1997. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1693.

This is a study of legal limits of the exercise of intellectual property, with emphasis on chip designs. In Part One, the focus is on the economics of innovation dynamics and the nature of the social bargain underlying intellectual property. It analyses the function of intellectual property and the structure of protection of chip designs under the US chip law, the IPIC Treaty and the Agreement on TRIPS. It suggests that while protection of intellectual property is designed to promote technical innovation and enhance competition in the public favour, the innovation process is carried out in conditions of increasingly imperfect competition. On these grounds, a point is made to limit the exercise of proprietary rights in the welfare/efficiency perspective. Part Two addresses the treatment of legal limitations. An analysis is made concerning the evolution of the safeguarding provisions on which unauthorised use of copyright and patent in the British legal system relies. These safeguards, structured within the intellectual property law, have gradually been developed to also rely on a resurgent competition legislation, which has been considerably used by OECD countries to order the exercise of proprietary rights. The ability of modem competition law to induce an intellectual property order, and the features of the adjudicatory process of non-voluntary licences over UK patents are also examined. From the findings the emergence of; namely, a safeguarding policy is identified. The conceptualisation of this institutional policy, aiming at efficiency and welfare objectives related to the exercise of proprietary rights, is a central theme. It shows that safeguarding provisions intrinsic to intellectual property law is insufficient to pursue these objectives, and holds that to protect intellectual property without an effective control of anti-competitive practices is a distorting and unsustainable legal policy.

Pamp, Caroline. "Intellectual property in science /." Stockholm : Jure Förlag, 2010. http://www.hgu.gu.se/Files/fakultetskansli/abstract/Spikblad%20Caroline_Pamp.pdf.

Johnson, Phillip Michael. "Private international law, intellectual property and the Internet." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2005. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1829.

Intellectual property is a territorial right; yet despite this there are a number of international treaties mandating standards. Historically, this has allowed private international law and intellectual Property to ignore each other. With the advent of the Internet this benign neglect has not only ended, but there has been a flood of new ideas on reconciling the territoriality of intellectual property with the global nature of the Internet. These new approaches attempt to deal with the problems associated with international intellectual property litigation - the uncertainty of which law applies, multiplicity of claims andforum shopping - each of which increases the cost for both users and proprietors of intellectual property. This thesis examines these approaches, using wealth maximisation and economic efficiency, and determines that none of themfits within the constructs of an efficient solution. However, the proposalfor a single applicable law, enabling consolidation, is seized upon as efficient. It then follows that the principle of consensual exchange, enabling private parties to agree which court has jurisdiction and which law applies (rather than States mandating these matters), is the efficient solution to the selection problem. This consensual exchange proposal contains two paradigms - the bilateral and the unilateral - which in turn are broken down into ten propositions. The bilateral paradigm permits parties to select not only the jurisdiction to adjudicate the dispute, but also the universal applicable law. The unilateral Paradigm uses the doctrine actor sequitur forum rei, with the universal applicable law being selected ex ante by the proprietor. Finally the propositions are placed within the context of international, regional and domestic law (of the four target jurisdictions: England and Wales, the United States, France and Germany) and questions of compatibility are assessed.

Azmi, Ida Madieha Bt Abdul Ghani. "Intellectual property laws and Islam in Malaysia." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1995. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1418.

This study is undertaken on the premise that Islam and Islamic law is to be taken into serious consideration in any future legislative reform of laws in Malaysia. Islam being the religion of the country and the strong religious sentiment of the Muslims (who form the majority in Malaysia) cannot be overlooked or dismissed lightly by the legislators in Malaysia. Reformation of intellectual property laws is timely, as we are now approaching to the dateline set by GATF-Trips agreement which aim is to improve our standard of intellectual property protection. This study seeks to analyze and evaluate the current legislation pertaining to intellectual property in Malaysia in terms of the philosophy and rules governing the existence, ownership and exercise of these rights and their consistency and inconsistency with Islam and Islamic law. The main objective of this study is to prove that a coherent and logical conceptual framework of ownership of intellectual property can be derived from an Islamic perspective which not only offers the basis of rights but also defines the scope of these rights. From the point of ownership of rights, support can be obtained from the normative framework of property rights within the traditional classification of 'mal' (property) and 'haqq al-milkiyyah' (ownership rights) under Islamic law. From the point of exercise of rights, the exact scope can be defined from the analysis of fundamental concepts which have been developed by Muslim jurists. It has been established that Islam and Islamic law offers a sound and systematic paradigm, which in deeper analysis, can satisfy both our current obligations under international treatises, as well as our responsibility to practise our religion to the fullest.

Bouvet, Isabelle. "Certain aspects of intellectual property rights in outer space." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/mq64265.pdf.

Hackett, Petal Jean. "Essays on intellectual property rights policy." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/7934.

This dissertation will take a theoretical approach to analyzing certain challenges in the design of intellectual property rights (`IPR') policy. The first essay looks the advisability of introducing IPR into a market which is currently only very lightly protected - the US fashion industry. The proposed Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act is intended to introduce EU standards into the US. Using a sequential, 2-firm, vertical differentiation framework, I analyze the effects of protection on investment in innovative designs by high-quality (`designer') and lower-quality (`mass-market') firms when the mass-marketer may opt to imitate, consumers prefer trendsetting designs and firms compete in prices. I show that design protection, by transforming mass-marketers from imitators to innovators, may reduce both designer pro ts and welfare. The model provides possible explanations for the dearth of EU case law and the increase in designer/mass-marketer collaborations. The second essay contributes to the literature on patent design and fee shifting, contrasting the effects of the American (or `each party pays') rule and English (or `losing party pays') rule of legal cost allocation on optimal patent breadth when innovation is sequential and firms are differentiated duopolists. I show that if litigation spending is endogenous, the American rule may induce broader patents and a higher probability of infringement than the English rule if R&D costs are sufficiently low. If, however, R&D costs are moderate, the ranking is reversed and it is the English rule that leads to broader patents. Neither rule supports lower patent breadth than the other over the entire parameter space. As such, any attempts to reform the US patent system by narrowing patents must carefully weigh the impact on firms' legal spending decisions if policymakers do not wish to adversely affect investment incentives. The third and final essay analyzes the effects of corporate structure on licensing behaviour. Policymakers and legal scholars are concerned about the potential for an Anticommons, an underuse of early stage research tools to produce complex final products, typically arising from either blocking or stacking. I use a simple, one-period differentiated duopoly model to show that if patentees have flexibility in corporate structure, Anticommons problems are greatly reduced. The model suggests that if the patentee owns the single (or single set) of essential IPR and goods are of symmetric quality, Anticommons issues may be entirely eliminated, as the patentee will always license, simply shifting its corporate structure depending on the identity of the downstream competitor. If the rival produces a more valuable good, Anticommons problems are reduced. Further, if the patentee holds 1 of 2 essential patents, the ability to shift its corporate structure may reduce total licensing costs to rival firms. However the analysis offers a cautionary note: while spin-offs by the patentee help to sustain downstream competition, they may restrict market output, and therefore welfare. Thus the inefficiency in the patent system may be in the opposite direction than is currently thought - there may be too much technology transfer, rather than too little.

Bornhäusser, Matthias. "The relation between intellectual property law and competition law using the example of standard essential patents." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9219.

Includes bibliographical references
The aim of this thesis is to take a closer look at the interesting relationship between patent rights and competition law. The focus will be set on European and German law. The reason for it is that the European courts already started to deal with the relation between intellectual property and competition law decades ago and have assumed a leading role in handling the anticompetitive exercise of intellectual property rights. Apart of the European focus the legal situation in South Africa will be elicited as well and, as far as possible, analysed against the background of the European situation.

Ang, Steven. "The moral dimensions of intellectual property rights." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/9008.

The Moral Dimensions of Intellectual Property Rights explores the various aspects of IPRs in which moral evaluation and claims play a role. According to R M Hare, moral concepts and reasoning are characterized by the universalization of prescriptions. Universalization links the various dimensions in a way that rationally forces us to revise the moral basis of the various claims we make for, about and of IPRs, and ultimately provides grounds for their reform. The method of reflective equilibrium is focused in the first place on Hare’s meta- ethics, to derive a reformulation which is herein called fundamental prescriptivism. This requires a foundational set of moral principles to work. Our expectation that moral principles and values must serve to guide us, and resolve conflict between us, with objective rational force, provides the basis for adopting such a set of fundamental prescriptions. These sum up in the equal right to freedom and well- being as the ultimate basis for moral evaluation of our institutions. An implication of this right is that property in IPR systems must be balanced with participation rights (moral and legal) of the public to a public domain which allows individuals to have access to, and use, objects of intellectual property. When, in seeking reflective equilibrium, this is applied to the various aspects of IPRs, the result is an exploration of the inter-connectedness of following: justification of IPRs based on this equal right to freedom and well-being; explanation of the function of, and justification for, the presence of moral concepts and terms in national and international IPR rules; the commitments implied by use of these moral ideas for our obligations in respect of the way we enjoy, exploit and enforce our IPRs, and, ultimately, our duty to reform of IPRs in ways that respects the participation rights implied by this principle.

Chung, Shang-pei. "Patents as property in Taiwanese jurisprudence : rebuilding a property model for patents." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2012. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8381.

The reconciliation of patents within the Taiwanese Law of Things has received negligible attention from legal scholars. The primary reason for this is the hesitation, by courts and scholars alike, to construct a new property paradigm, referring instead to treat patents under the existing rules on physical things. This dominating stance has had an impact on the manner in which Taiwanese courts adjudicate on the nature of patents, and dealings therewith. The aim of the thesis is to show that this stance is theoretically illogical. The underlying issue is the different classification of patents within the civil and common law systems. The study employs a historical and comparative law methodology in order to inform an intra-law solution to the problem of how to overcome the classification dilemma. It does this by critically analysing the evolution of patent categorisation as personal property in common law and, by employing this foundation, seeks to distinguish the substantial differences in the concept of property between the common and civil law traditions. In light of these differences, and to establish a consolidated way of reconciling patents into the current Taiwanese legal framework, the thesis further analyses the similarity of the property notion under English common law and Taiwanese customary law, both of which are shaped by exclusion rules. The hypothesis is that ownership of land within these two systems, in similar with that of patents, was not an absolute and outright ownership of land governed by inclusion rules, but was instead a freehold which granted intangible rights that could be divided by the duration of the holding. It is suggested that a theoretically more coherent property model can be achieved by adopting this approach, and analogising patents to the tenure systems that existed within both English common law and Taiwanese customary law. To this end, the thesis proposes to contextually rebuild the property model for patents within Taiwanese law by the insertion of five new reform clauses into the Patent Act and the Civil Code.

Anderson, Jane Elizabeth Law Faculty of Law UNSW. "The production of indigenous knowledge in intellectual property law." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Law, 2003. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/20491.

The thesis is an exploration of how indigenous knowledge has emerged as a subject within Australian intellectual property law. It uses the context of copyright law to illustrate this development. The work presents an analysis of the political, social and cultural intersections that influence legal possibilities and effect practical expectations of the law in this area. The dilemma of protecting indigenous knowledge resonates with tensions that characterise intellectual property as a whole. The metaphysical dimensions of intellectual property have always been insecure but these difficulties come to the fore with the identification of boundaries and markers that establish property in indigenous subject matter. While intellectual property law is always managing difference, the politics of law are more transparent when managing indigenous concerns. Rather than assume the naturalness of the category of indigenous knowledge within law, this work interrogates the politics of its construction precisely as a . special. category. Employing a multidisciplinary methodology, engaging theories of governmental rationality that draws upon the scholarship of Michel Foucault to appreciate strategies of managing and directing knowledge, the thesis considers how the politics of law is infused by cultural, political, bureaucratic and individual factors. Key elements in Australia that have pushed the law to consider expressions of indigenous knowledge in intellectual property can be located in changing political environments, governmental intervention through strategic reports, cultural sensitivity articulated in case law and innovative instances of individual agency. The intersection of these elements reveals a dynamic that exerts influence in the shape the law takes.

Tassano, Velaochaga Hebert Eduardo. "The convergence between competition law and intellectual property rights." Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2015. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/116244.

Indecopi has within its functions the defense of free competition and the protection of intellectual property. This institutional design has the advantage of being able to see more clearly what are the points of convergence between the two subject-matter, harmonize them and achieve the goals they have in common. Within this convergence, there are sensitive issues as the granting of compulsory licenses. In this work, we highlight that compulsory licenses are exceptional measures and, to consider its granting, the State must have a procedure that provides confidence and predictability to citizens and clear definitions of what is meant by public interest, emergency and national security. Finally, it is proposed that the granting of compulsory licenses should be justified by a cost benefit analysis showing that is the best choice.
El Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (IndecopI) tiene entre sus funciones tanto la defensa de la libre competencia como la protección de la propiedad intelectual. Este diseño institucional tiene la ventaja de permitir apreciar con mayor claridad cuáles son los puntos de convergencia entre ambas materias, armonizarlos y conseguir los objetivos que tienen en común. Dentro de esta convergencia, existen temas sensibles, como el otorgamiento de licencias obligatorias, por lo que en el presente trabajo se destaca su carácter de medida excepcional y se plantea que, para considerar su otorgamiento, el Estado debe contar con un procedimiento que brinde confianza y predictibilidad a la ciudadanía y con definiciones claras sobre qué debemos entender por interés público, emergencia y seguridad nacional. Finalmente, se propone que su otorgamiento tenga justificación en un análisis costo beneficio que arroje como resultado que, en efecto, era la opción más adecuada.

With the overall purpose of exploring the main research question, i.e., “what is the preferred legal framework to optimize the use of IP as collateral in debt finance, in order to solve the problems in funding R&D activities and to foster innovation?”, this dissertation adopts a law and economic analysis into the in-depth examination on the impacts of legal risks and transaction costs from different aspects. Firstly, for further exploring the economic reasons for promoting IP collateralization, it goes back to the basic theories of debt finance and recalls the role of collateral in solving the informational asymmetry problems between debtors and creditors. It shows that the signaling role of IP in the ex ante selection process and the disciplinary role of IP in the ex post lending relationship can help the lenders to reduce the overall default probability in the first place. Then, by discussing some potential conflicts in the legal rules for IP collateralization, it establishes a conceptual assessment framework for evaluating the frameworks for IP collateralization in China, the US, and the international efforts done by the UNCITRAL. The comparative study shows the difficulties in coordinating secured law and IP law and sheds light on our understanding of how to build up an efficient legal regime for IP collateralization, especially for China. At last, the dissertation looks into the enforceability of anti-assignment or anti-attachment clauses in the IP licenses in the case of IP collateralization. It shows how different legal rules can change the time of negotiation and the bargaining powers among parties, consequently change the equilibrium of the lending decision, and eventually have impacts on investment decisions. It demonstrates why simply prioritizing the objectives of IP law may not be the best solution to solve the conflicts between IP law and secured transaction law.

Owens-, Richards Marilee. "The collateralisation and securitisation of intellectual property." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2017. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/24716.

Intellectual Property (IP) is becoming an increasingly important source of collateral in debt-based financial transactions. This thesis will show that IP and financing are intrinsically linked. They both can be used to drive company growth. When the two interact a virtuous growth spiral can form. It will be shown that IP can be used to obtain financing which allows for company growth and the creation of more IP rights. The new IP rights then allow the IP owner to obtain more financing. The pattern of growth can continue in this pattern. However, due to the legal complications the formation of such a growth spiral is hindered. The thesis examines how security interests in intellectual property right are treated in secured finance law and IP law in the US and the UK. It will show that there is a conflict between laws particularly in the perfection and priority of such security interests. The conflict between the two sources of law makes it difficult to determine where a security interest must be registered in order to be perfected. The conflict also creates conflicting registers for such interests. Due to conflicting registration provisions it is also difficult to determine the priority of conflicting security interests in an IP right. Additionally, IP laws are often inadequate for determining issues on perfection and priority. The thesis will offer suggestion on legal reforms which will best alleviate the legal problems of taking security in an IP right.

Nasir, Saeed. "The evolution of global intellectual property instruments into trade related intellectual property rights (TRIPS) and its ineffectiev enforcement in the developed world a case study : a thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment [sic] of the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil), 2008." Click here to access this resource online, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/673.

Kenneally, Michael Edward. "Intellectual Property Rights and Institutions: A Pluralist Account." Thesis, Harvard University, 2014. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:11509.

Debates over intellectual property's justifications tend to treat natural rights and utilitarian accounts as competitors, but they should be seen as complements instead. Lockean and Kantian theories of intellectual property highlight the strong interests that intellectual property creators have in profiting from and exercising some degree of control over their work, but neither theory gives sufficient justification for the full assortment of rights that intellectual property owners have under current law. Utilitarian accounts provide an essential supplement to these natural rights theories by focusing on society's interests in the production of useful information and creative expression, but that does not mean intellectual property law should single-mindedly strive only to maximize social welfare. Developing both natural rights-based and utilitarian justifications, this dissertation advances a pluralist account of intellectual property that understands different features of copyright, patent, and trademark law to be serving different normative interests.
Philosophy

Hickey, Julian James Bernard. "The taxation of intellectual property and commercially valuable knowledge." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.312820.

Delicostopoulou, A. "Intellectual property rights as a barrier to world trade." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.286577.

Juras, Camille. "International intellectual property disputes and arbitration : a comparative analysis of American, European and international approaches : the search for an acceptable arbitral site." Thesis, McGill University, 2003. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=80932.

This paper compares the arbitral procedures used in different legal systems and evaluates their suitability for international intellectual property disputes. By doing so, it will identify many obstacles to the realization of an international arbitral regime responding to intellectual property disputes.

Divaris, D. E. "Invention as commodity : Intellectual property and free trade." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.383126.

Wechs, Hatanaka Asako. "Mediation and intellectual property law : a European and comparative perspective." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016STRAA008.

Un mauvais arrangement vaut mieux qu’un bon procès, dit un adage. Ceci s’applique-t-il également au domaine de la propriété intellectuelle ? La médiation est une méthode de résolution des différends qui a le vent en poupe. Elle a fait l’objet d’une harmonisation en Europe par le biais de la directive 2008/52/CE du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 21 mai 2008 sur certains aspects de la médiation en matière civile et commerciale. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de la thèse est d’analyser des fonctions exercées par la médiation ainsi que les limites de la médiation du point de vue du droit de la procédure civile, du droit des contrats et du droit de la propriété intellectuelle, et de présenter des propositions pour optimiser la médiation lorsqu'elle s’applique aux litiges concernant les droits de la propriété intellectuelle. L’étude porte sur de nombreux systèmes juridiques, institutions et prestataires de règlement des différends, en mettant l’accent sur l’Union européenne, la France et le Royaume-Uni
A bad compromise is better than a successful lawsuit, says an adage. Would this also applies to intellectual property disputes ? Mediation is a dispute resolution method, which is in vogue. It became subject to harmonisation in Europe under the Directive 2008/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters. In this context, the objective of the thesis is to analyse the functions performed by mediation as well as the limitations to mediate from the viewpoint of civil procedure law, contract law and intellectual property law and to present some proposals to optimise mediation to intellectual property law. A number of legal systems, institutions and dispute resolution providers will be covered with the focus on the European Union, France and the UK

Wongburanavart, Archariya. "A harmonisation of intellectual property law in EU and ASEAN." Thesis, Durham University, 2016. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11973/.

This thesis is a comparative study analysing the development of intellectual property (IP) harmonisation in the EU and ASEAN. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a need for ASEAN to harmonise its IP laws at a regional level and, if there is the need, what would be a feasible way for ASEAN to achieve a greater level of IP harmonisation and further develop a harmonised regional IP system. ASEAN had a strong commitment to deepen and broaden economic integration through the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which enables the free flow of goods, services, capital and workers. The establishment of the AEC in 2015 is considered to be a milestone in ASEAN’s history of moving towards a highly integrated community. Consequently, a harmonisation of the IP laws of the ASEAN members has become more necessary in order to ensure a well-functioning common market and a move towards a highly competitive economic region. IP harmonisation has been prioritised as one of the essential tasks that needs to be accomplished. Notwithstanding, due to the disparities of the member states’ backgrounds, especially in economic, social, and legal aspects, standardising the IP laws of the member states remains challenging. To examine the prospect of ASEAN achieving a higher degree of IP harmonisation, and thereby be able to propose an appropriate solution for ASEAN to develop a regional IP regime, a comparative approach is required and inevitable, while using the EU as a point of reference. The major factors which are impeding and delaying an IP harmonisation process in ASEAN, the disparities in IP standards among the ASEAN members, the development gap between the older and newer members, and ASEAN’s practice and institutional structure, are discussed. At the end, a strategic plan providing a framework for developing an ASEAN regional IP system is proposed. Firstly, it is suggested that the traditional ‘ASEAN Way’ should be modified in order to serve as facilitator of regional cooperation. Secondly, more assistance from well-off countries in helping less developed members to catch up with the rest of ASEAN is needed to promote prosperity of the region as a whole. Thirdly, national IP laws of the member states should be approximated to be in line with international standards. Fourthly, an ASEAN-wide IP system should be incrementally developed through the combined use of hard and soft laws. Finally, a regional IP court should be established to move towards a more rule-based organisation. This would help ASEAN finally move towards achieving its goals of establishing a well-functioning common market and deepening regional economic integration.

Tran, Kien. "The history of intellectual property law of Vietnam, 1945-1994." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2015. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6953/.

This thesis centres on the principal question of the existence of intellectual property law between 1945 and 1994 in Vietnam, and related issues that flow therefrom. A common orthodoxy held that there was no real intellectual property law in the country until the early 1980s, and that the law has been a feature of the Vietnamese legal system only since 1981. This common belief is shared by an absolute majority of scholars, lawyers, and practitioners, both domestic and foreign, who have studied the intellectual property law of Vietnam. This thesis will seek to disprove that belief by drawing on extensive archival evidence, to reconstruct, for the first time, a unique, ignored system of laws regulating copyright, patent, and trade mark, among other kinds of intellectual property protection, in existence between 1945 and 1994. In fact, the existing system of intellectual property law was composed of two main sources. The first component part is comprised of a large corpus of colonial laws from France and a small number of indigenous provisions developed by local governments modelled after the French laws, as well as a unique and local common law practice in relation to intellectual property rights which has been recorded since the seventeenth century. This part of the system dated as far back as 1864 and lasted theoretically until 1955 within the context of a colonial and semi-feudal society. The second part, addressed in the principal part of this thesis, is the theory and practice of socialist law. This part was introduced into Vietnam as early as 1945. At first, it was a supplementation to the established, continued body of colonial laws but, subsequently, from the late 1950s, it evolved to become the principal system, replacing the old laws within the framework of socialist legality, upholding the dictatorship of the proletariat and a centrally planned economy. Since 1986, Vietnam has embarked on a radically different route to develop intellectual property law in compliance with various bilateral and international intellectual property and free trade treaties. Consequently, this socialist intellectual property law was finally displaced as of 1994, as the result of various reforms driving the country towards a market-based economy under a rule of law state.

Christie, Andrew Frederick. "Intellectual property protection for the design of integrated circuits." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.385373.

Kellerman, Mikhalien. "The Constitutional Property Clause and Immaterial Property Interests." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6536.

Thesis (LLD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The question that this dissertation addresses is which immaterial property interests may be recognised and protected under the constitutional property clause and if so, under which circumstances. The question originated in the First Certification case 1 where the court held that the constitutional property clause is wide enough to include property interests that require protection according to international norms. The traditional immaterial property interests or intellectual property rights (patents, copyright, designs and trademarks) are protected as property in private law on a sui generis basis. Since it is generally accepted that the property concept in constitutional law includes at least property rights protected in private law, it is relatively unproblematic to include intellectual property rights under the constitutional property clause. In Laugh It Off v SAB International,2 the Constitutional Court explicitly balanced the right to a trademark with the right to freedom of expression, which is accepted as authority that at least trademarks may be recognised and protected as constitutional property. The other intellectual property rights may most likely be recognised and protected by analogy. Foreign law as well as international law also indicates that intellectual property should be recognised and protected as constitutional property. However, there are other, unconventional immaterial property interests that are not protected as property in private law. Some are protected in private law, but not as property; others originate in public law; and yet others are not protected yet at all. In terms of the Constitution, South African courts may consider foreign law, but must consider international law. This dissertation determines when these interests may be protected as constitutional property by reference to foreign cases from German, American, Australian and Irish law; regional international law, namely European Union cases; and international law. The conclusion is that unconventional immaterial property interests may generally be protected if they are vested and acquired in terms of normal law, have patrimonial value and serve the general purpose of constitutional property protection. Property theories are also useful to determine when immaterial property interests deserve constitutional protection, although other theories may be more useful for some of the unconventional interests. The German scaling approach and the balancing of competing interests is a useful approach for South African courts to help determine the appropriate level of protection for specific immaterial property interests without excluding some at the outset.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag waarmee hierdie verhandeling handel is of belange in immateriële goedere erken en beskerm kan word in terme van die grondwetlike eiendomsklousule en indien wel, onder watter omstandighede. Die vraag het sy ontstaan in die First Certification saak,3 waar die Grondwetlike Hof beslis het dat die eiendomsklousule se omvang wyd genoeg is om belange in eiendom in te sluit wat volgens internasionale norme beskerming verg. Sekere regte in immateriële goedere word op ’n sui generis basis in die privaatreg beskerm, naamlik die regte in tradisionele immaterieelgoederereg kategorieë of intellektuele eiendom (patente, kopiereg, ontwerpe en handelsmerke). Dit is 'n algemene beginsel van grondwetlike eiendomsreg dat die konsep van eiendom minstens belange insluit wat as eiendom in die privaatreg beskerm word. In Laugh It Off v SAB International4 het die Grondwetlike Hof 'n handelsmerkreg opgeweeg teen die reg op vryheid van uitdrukking en hierdeur implisiet erken dat minstens handelsmerke en dalk ook ander intellektuele eindemsregte deur die eiendomsklousule erken en beskerm kan word. Buitelandse reg sowel as internasionale reg dui aan dat intellektuele eiendom grondwetlike beskerming behoort te ontvang. Buiten hierdie belange is daar ook immaterieelgoederereg belange wat nie onder eiendomsreg beskerm word in die privaatreg nie. Sommige van hierdie belange word wel in die privaatreg beskerm, maar dan onder ander areas van die reg as eiendom; ander het hul oorsprong in die publiekreg; en die res word tans glad nie beskerm nie. Die Grondwet bepaal dat howe buitelandse reg in ag kan neem en dat hulle internasionale reg moet oorweeg. Die verhandeling se vraag word beantwoord met verwysing na sake uit die Duitse, Amerikaanse, Australiese en Ierse grondwetlike reg; streeks-internasionale reg van die Europese Unie; en internasionale reg. Die onkonvensionele immaterieelgoederereg belange kan oor die algemeen beskerm word as eiendom indien daar 'n gevestigde reg is, die reg in terme van gewone reg verkry is en die belang die algemene oogmerke van die grondwetlike klousule bevorder. Die teorieë oor die beskerming van eiendom is van nut om te bepaal watter belange beskerm kan word, alhoewel sekere onkonvensionele belange beter geregverdig kan word deur ander tipes teorieë. Die Duitse metode om belange op te weeg kan van besonderse nut wees vir Suid Afrikaanse howe om te bepaal watter vlak van beskerming spesifieke belange in immaterieelgoedere behoort te geniet.

Davis, Tara M. "International intellectual property rights : effectiveness of incentives for enforcement." Virtual Press, 2008. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1390656.

In this technological age the distribution of information happens faster and easier than ever before. This ease of transfer of information brings challenges for international intellectual property rights protection. It addresses reasons governments work to increase enforcement and reasons governments do not comply with enforcement protocols. It assesses the pressure international agreements and incentives exert on governments to produce compliance. This paper evaluates 76 countries in three non-consecutive years on their level of enforcement. It includes a discussion of contributing factors to government choice in interaction and enforcement. The question of enforcement incentives is addressed both across time and across countries.
Department of Political Science

Chiarolla, Claudio. "Intellectual property and environmental protection of crop biodiversity under international law." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2009. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/446.

In agricultural research, plant genetic resources (PGR) are “non-traditional infrastructural resources”, which may generate higher social value and positive externalities if they are managed in an openly accessible manner. The privatisation of crop biodiversity is based on the assumption that the internalisation of these externalities is the panacea to fostering private research investment. However, if the domestic plant breeding and biotechnology capacity is limited, the above normative approach may fall short of expectations because the social costs of establishing or strengthening exclusion rights are higher than their social benefits. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) is the only international agreement whose normative approach reflects in part this economic reality. However, its constructively ambiguous intellectual property rights-related provisions do not effectively fence off crop biodiversity from private appropriation. Besides, the desire of most countries not to prejudice the negotiation of an international access and benefit sharing regime under the UN Convention of Biological Diversity may prevent the extension of the ITPGRFA’s “commons” management principles to a larger number of essential food crops. The scope of this study, which focuses on PGR and agricultural innovation, derives from the paramount importance that both the design and allocation of rights in these areas might have for global food security. The innovation system perspective shows that social and economic development depends on the institutional context in which technological change occurs. Finally, the study of the transition between property regimes shows that the global reform of the institutional arrangements, which govern the present and future allocation of wealth from agriculture, is insufficient to achieve international equity so as to meet the target of reducing the proportion of people who suffer from hunger in accordance with goal 1 of the Millennium Development Goals.

Stowell, Catherine Leigh. "The shifting nexus between law and biology : what does the future hold for gene patents?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12680.

Barratt, Amanda. "The battle for policy space : strategic advantages of a human rights approach in international intellectual property negotiations." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4431.

Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 310-370).
The patent system exists to encourage the development of new products from which society will benefit. The strength of protection awarded to patented products is a policy decision, allowing states to balance the monopoly rights of patent-owners against the inherent social costs of monopoly protection. The effective policy space within which states may establish domestic patent policy is increasingly circumscribed by international rules prescribing minimum protection levels regardless of local circumstances or consequences. In international negotiations, developing states have attempted to resist policy space curtailment using arguments that rely on foundational principles of the intellectual property system: its public purpose and its commitment to balancing costs and benefits. This negotiating stance has not been effective; its opponents counterargue that stronger patent protection achieves the same ends. This dissertation examines the resulting circular discussions at the 2001-2003 Doha negotiations and the WIPO Development Agenda talks since 2004. I argue that the impasse stems from an inability to move beyond the costs-benefits tension inherent in the patent system. Economists have been unable to resolve this tension by identifying optimal protection levels. Furthermore, intellectual property theory is unable to provide a bottom line at which the short-term social costs of patent monopolies must be deemed unacceptable, regardless of anticipated longerterm benefits. The developing states' negotiating stance will be strengthened if a bottom line can be identified. I argue that the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights provides benchmarks to fulfil this function. ICESCR obligations are specific, objective, and measurable; they have international legitimacy; and they bind almost all states. I examine the Article 12 right to health to show that states violate the ICESCR if they ratify other treaties which reduce policy space and make it more difficult for states to adopt policies to meet their domestic or extraterritorial obligations. I also examine Article 15, concluding that it is insufficiently developed to offer firm guidelines. I use insights from international relations theory to examine the practical possibilities of adopting a human rights-based approach, and argue that the strategy will become progressively more effective as human rights norms are internalized through the negotiating process and by other means.

Marais, Richard. "Investigating musical copyright infringement: Examining International Understandings of Musical Copyright Infringement for Potential Adaptation into South African Copyright Law." Master's thesis, Faculty of Law, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31006.

This thesis examines international approaches to musical work copyright infringement law for the purpose of establishing an approach that can be utilised effectively under the South African copyright infringement framework. In doing so, the importance of the various interactive elements of musical works is investigated as well as the modes of assessment in infringement scenarios. The findings are used to create a robust middle-ground approach to be adapted into the South African copyright infringement framework. Further considerations that impact infringement outcomes are addressed to the extent that they are contextually relevant. These include a discussion of research undertaken on the continent regarding the relationship between creators and the music-related copyright regime as well as the role that exceptions and limitations play in infringement outcomes.

Kisuule, Yvonne Alexandra. "Least developed countries and geographical indications: how can Uganda position itself to benefit from geographical indications?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15214.

The primary objective of this thesis is to determine how Uganda can optimally benefit from geographical indications. This objective is achieved by focusing on the current negotiations at the World Trade Organization concerning geographical indications. The main issues in contention are the extension of a higher level of protection to other products, besides wines and spirits, and the establishment of a multilateral register for wines and spirits. In the discussion of these issues, each proposal is examined in light of Uganda's interests. The thesis also focuses on how geographical indications can be turned into development tools at the national level. It considers Uganda's legislation, the Geographical Indications Act 8 of 2013, and highlights the provisions that might deter the establishment of a successful geographical indications system in the country. The thesis then identifies other factors that Uganda must address in order for geographical indications to become development tools. It is concluded that in order to establish a successful geographical indications system, Uganda needs to continue its support for the Modalities Proposal in the international negotiations. Furthermore, at the national level, there are various factors that must be addressed, beyond the law, before geographical indications can become development tools, and these include the formation of producer organisations, marketing strategies and the sensitisation of stakeholders.

Mathini, Moses Wanjukia. "Enforceability of digital copyright on the darknet?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28031.

This dissertation seeks to comparatively analyse different emerging jurisprudence of pioneering jurisdictions on the operability of enforcing digital copyright in light of the growing use of the Darknet. It addresses the legal lacuna in the existing copyright laws with regards to enforcement against the illegal distribution of infringing copies of online digital content. It also seeks to illustrate how the concept of digital copyright protection has been compromised by the inoperability of enforcement laws on illegal distribution via the Darknet. It thereby advocates for a 'digital use' exemption and or free access as a recommendation. Although the advancement of technology created new and advanced forms of distribution or availing copyrighted works to the public, these new advanced channels of distribution have been compromised by rogue online clandestine file sharing networks. Digital copyright protection laws have been advanced so as to respond to illegal online file sharing, however, they have had limited impact due to the vast, flexible and unregulated nature of the internet which transcends the territorial nature of any single state's copyright laws. Currently, online file sharing is effected through peer to peer networks due to their operational convenience. This dissertation suggests that the need to control distribution, legally or technological, is driven by the urge to enable digital copyright owners to benefit financially from their works and get a return on their investment. Technologically, this has been effected through the adoption of Digital Rights Management (DRMs) measures that control access to these works through the use of paywalls on commercial websites that require online consumers to pay/ subscribe first before they gain access to the copyrighted works. (eg Netflix, Showmax, itunes e.t.c) However, since absolute control over one's digital works, online, is impossible, the success of these access-control mechanisms remains debatable and remain vulnerable to technologically sophisticated users who could easily circumvent them and make the protected works available to millions of other users in Darknets. This, in effect, creates a parallel and free market for digital content. Darknets have grown as the new preferred channel of distribution due to their unique features which have rendered any judicial or legislative threat of sanctions, merely academic and detached from practical application. The Darknet essentially provides for user privacy, in anonymity, and security from monitoring and detection. These two primary features have exacerbated online piracy as various Darknets ISPs have now developed more user-friendly Darknet versions for the average mainstream user. This dissertation will highlight how the digital creative industry faces an existential threat with the growing use of Darknets. Darknets have created a virtual environment where illegal digital content distribution continues with impunity, since the burden of the enforceability of copyright rests squarely on the individual copyright holder and the pursuit of liability only begins upon detection of any such infringement of copyright. In effect, copyright owners, most often than not, lack the technological expertise to monitor and detect and thereby cannot enforce their copyright. As such, this dissertation postulates that the legal/ technological effort to maintain any form of monopoly over digital content online is an unattainable objective. As a solution, to end both online piracy and safeguarding the financial interests of copyright owners, a change in the approach to digital copyright is needed. This will be achieved through creating a 'digital use' exemption and or free access. Rather than copyright owners trying to control access, they should provide free access and profit on alternative revenue business models. Free access to digital content will do away with the need of online users to pirate and also save copyright owners the effort and resource to keep monitoring the virtual world for infringement. It will also counter-react to the Darknet's parallel market since users will have free access to digital content from the official distribution websites. This dissertation will interrogate the viability of this option.

Van, Wiele Bram. "The ratification and implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty: a look at the future of South African Copyright Law." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13038.

Includes bibliographical references.
This dissertation will analyse South African copyright law and its ability to facilitate blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled people. The Marrakesh Treaty intends to promote the making and distribution of copies of, among others, books in formats accessible to visually impaired persons. South Africa did not sign this Treaty yet, intends to sign and ratify this Treaty in the future. This dissertation will analyse the current South African copyright law and policy related to visually impaired persons. To gain insight, this work will also analyse international framework, and foreign copyright law. The aim of this analysis will be to find ways of how the future of South African copyright law should look like, according to the Marrakesh Treaty, to be able to facilitate VIPs. This research also intends to expose the possible law and policy related barriers for non-ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty. Furthermore, this dissertation will analyse what the possible legal implications thereof will be. The main goal of this dissertation will be to formulate a proposal on how the Marrakesh Treaty should me implemented in South African copyright law. This proposal will take into account possible barriers or policy related issues that arise from prior research.

Musiza, Charlene Tsitsi. "Does the growth of ICT in Zimbabwe present an opportunity for effective use of intellectual property rights?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16711.

Includes bibliographical references
In 2005 the Government of Zimbabwe adopted a National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy to spur growth in the ICT sector. The idea was to transform Zimbabwe into a knowledge - based economy by 2020. This saw some synergies between stakeholders in improving ICT infrastructure. In the last decade Zimbabwe has seen growth in ICT albeit with numerous challenges. There have been innovation s in ICT which raise possible intellectual property issues. The thesis seeks to assess whether there is scope for the utilisation of intellectual property rights in some of the innovations. An exploration of the various policies that have a bearing on ICT will inform the discussion on ICT growth. The thesis will also lay out the intellectual property framework and identify rights which can be appropriated to innovations. It will identify some areas where tailoring is required to suit the system to the development needs of the country and the innovation environment. Some recommendations will be made derived from the experiences of other countries and from the survey conducted as part of the research.

Pinkepank, Felix. "Streaming Unauthorised Copyrighted Content: Copyright Liability of Streaming Platforms and Streaming Box Distributors. A Comparative EU-US-SA Perspective." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29709.

This thesis examines the liability for copyright infringement of streaming platforms and streaming box distributors in the EU, U.S. and in South Africa. As there have been no reported cases in South Africa in which copyright holders have instituted legal proceedings concerning copyright infringement against streaming platforms or streaming box distributors, this thesis analyses and compares the legal context in the EU and the U.S., in order to develop an appropriate approach for lawmakers and courts in South Africa regarding this issue. It concludes that the approach of the European Court of Justice with regard to the communication to the public right leads to legal uncertainty and should not be followed. Instead, it is suggested that South Africa implements into its Copyright Act of 1978 parts of the U.S. approach in terms of secondary liability. Furthermore, the lawmaker should revise the safe harbour provisions in the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002.

Lamont, Kim Tracy. "Evaluating the current copyright provisions for the reproduction and dissemination of electronic educational material in distance learning." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15212.

There is a marked increase in distance learning courses. According to the literature, online courses have penetrated 78.09% of undergraduate level programmes and 64.3% of doctoral research institutions. The amplified trend towards online learning courses raises questions pertaining to access to educational material online. Digitisation has enabled the rapid copying of content and dissemination thereof to better enable access to learning for all through such digital availability of educational material. However, whether there are sufficient exceptions within copyright law to better facilitate the magnanimous growth of distance learners is debatable. The aim of this minor dissertation is to determine whether there are international instruments such as the Berne Convention, the Trade Related Intellectual Property Agreement (TRIPs), and the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) that better enable the electronic reproduction and distribution of work for distance learners. To understand the fair dealing and fair use provision specifically for distance learning in specific countries, which include South Africa, United Kingdom and United States Methodology: A large literature search was undertaken, which included legislation, published journal articles, websites and magazines to characterise the current state of access to educational material for distance learners in SA, UK and USA. The findings show that there is not sufficient room for access to educational material for distance learners in a fair dealing model. This can be demonstrated in the enumerated list that must be adhered to for fair dealing to subsist. This is demonstrated in section 12 of the South African Copyright Act as well as section 32-36 in United Kingdom's Copyright Designs and Patents Act. However, in the United States there has been development within the codification of fair use terms in section 107 of the United States Copyright Act that have provided provisions for multiple copies as long as the four criteria for fair use are fulfilled. Furthermore, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was implemented which has therein specified provisions for the digitisation of a work for distance learners. There are not sufficient exceptions within copyright law for access to digitised educational material for distance learners in South Africa and the United Kingdom. The current exceptions are narrow and limited. Therefore, a recommendation would be to broaden the scope of the provisions to increase the flexibility and better to accommodate access to educational material for distance learners in this information age where digital networks and access are growing exponentially. Some countries such as the Unites States have come to this realisation early and have started to accommodate digitisation of works and distance learning models through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the codification of the fair use model in section 107 of the United States Copyright Act.

Mudau, Sipho. "The copyright protection of online user-generated content." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12935.

Includes bibliographical references.
Online social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube allow creative works to be more easily copied and distributed. This type of content is generally referred to as user-generated content and its creation has become a major component of our daily routine. As a result, user-generated content has the potential to influence not just the nature of social interactions but methods of doing business. The advent of user-generated content poses new challenges to copyright law, the conventional medium of protecting these creative works. The global reach of the internet and the increasing ease of access thereto make infringement of original material more likely and more frequent. User-generated content is also surrounded by legal uncertainty in the areas of defamation and privacy. It is beyond the scope of this paper to deal in any depth with these issues. This dissertation will focus on the implications of user-generated content within the realm of copyright. Specifically, this paper examines whether South African copyright law, in its present state, adequately protect the rights and interests of content creators on one end and website owners and proprietors on the other. This assessment will be guided, in part, by judicial precedent and legislative policies adopted in other jurisdictions.

Lakpini, Clarence Sokolambe. "An examination of South Africa’s efforts at patent system reform: trips flexibilities fully appropriated for public health needs?" Master's thesis, Faculty of Law, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31712.

The question that underlies this research is whether and to what extent does South Africa’s moves to amend its Patent Act, as outlined in the country’s new Intellectual Property (IP) Policy take advantage of the flexibilities made available through the Agreement on Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS)? Patents law and access to medicines are two areas which are not new to South African IP law. Since the late 1990s when the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was at its peak, there has been a tensed relationship between IP, through patents, and access to medicines. While proponents for pharmaceutical patents have argued that patents are a necessary stimulant for innovation and development of new medicines, those against pharmaceutical patents have vigorously laid blame on the patent system for birthing monopolies which have led to unaffordable prices for many life-saving drugs. This dissertation examines the patent framework of South Africa and juxtaposes it with the TRIPS Agreement to determine if there is a gap with the regards to the flexibilities available under each, and if so, how much of a gap exists between them. Also, the recommendations made in the IP Policy which was released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2018, are evaluated to ascertain how aligned to the TRIPS flexibilities they will be if they are turned into law by the lawmaker. The Indian patent system is also looked at to see how it went about patent reform and what South Africa can learn from it. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations made, regarding model language which reflects the recommendations in the Policy that the lawmaker may refer to in the amendment process. Patent reform is a difficult task, and with lives hanging in the balance, a crucial one. The process in South Africa has lingered for many years without resolution. This dissertation highlights the need for urgency in the process with the hope that these changes catalyse into a more equitable patent system where the IP scale provides a more balanced eco-system in which both pharmaceutical patent owners and the general public who rely on their medicines can thrive. Although, a daunting task, a bold and proactive approach must be taken to ensure that the balance is reached timeously and efficiently.

Nghihalwa, Saima Litauleni. "An analysis of the registration of traditional product names, terms, symbols and other cultural expressions as trademarks in Namibia." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12934.

Includes bibliographical references.
Protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions of indigenous communities is one of the most contentious and complicated issues on both international and national agendas. The historical development of the protection of intellectual property in the wake of the industrial revolution and its subsequent jurisprudential justification, based on private property rights, pushed TK and the practice based on it, outside the purview of the formal intellectual protection regime. There is substantial evidence that TK has in past decades been used in a range of industries and has accordingly led to new products as well as the development of existing products. Evidence of this can be found in the areas of special foods and beverages, the cosmetic sector, personal care, agriculture, horticulture and pharmaceuticals. Industries sometimes make use of this knowledge to formulate new products, which they do in a slightly different manner so as to market the products as their own. Currently, there are certain products in Namibia that use the traditional terms of products as trademarks. Despite the fact that some of these terms are not registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industries, these owners enjoy common law protection under trademark law. This is especially so for well-known products such as Omaere milk, which is a product of the Namibia Dairies (Pty) Ltd. The term Omaere is used by the OvaHerero and OvaHimba speaking communities of Namibia and Botswana to refer to traditionally processed curdled milk. The Namibian Dairies (Pty) Ltd has been making use of this name for one of their curdled milk products for more than 15 years. During this period the company has done such excessive marketing of the product that this name has come to be regarded as their trademark. Reviewing it from this perspective, one can conclude that no-one else could use this name to refer to their milk products, as it has come to be considered as a product of the Namibia Dairies.

Jungmann, Nina. "Comparative advertising between the conflicting priorities of fair competition, trademark holder's rights and consumer information under South African law compared to the European and German approach on this issue." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20877.

The dissertation addresses the legal conflict which is related to the legitimacy of comparative advertising. The national legal system has the task to balance antagonistic interests of trademark proprietors, advertisers, consumers and the public at large. The thesis examines the South African, the European and the German legal system implemented a legal balance and presents consequences, commonalities and differences. After starting with an historical overview on comparative advertising in South Africa and the Advertising Standards Authorities' self-regulating system, the Common law of Unlawful Competition will be addressed with regard to its influences on comparative advertising. Further, the thesis deals with the South African Trade Mark Act and its interpretation of infringement in terms of comparative advertising. Also considering European jurisdiction will be considered. The European approach on trade marks and comparative advertising will be presented as it leads to the German approach on comparative advertising and served as inspiration for the South African Trade Marks Act. The manner of implementation of European Directives influencing comparative advertising in German national law will be examined. Hereby, the distinctive characteristics which are required for comparative advertising as well as the special statutory mentioned cases in which it is unlawful will be presented. The high level of legal differentiation shall be emphasized since this may lead to differences compared to the South African law. Finally, I will compare how South African law and German law approach the subject comparative advertising. Especially the influences of Common law and statutory law on unlawful competition will be compared and evaluated. It shall be presented which consequences can arise out of different systematic approaches in this field of law. Additionally, the differences in the legal approaches on trade mark infringement will be highlighted in respect of presenting whether they cause actual consequences for the final legal valuation of comparative advertising. Furthermore, the commonalities concerning the purpose of encouraging comparative advertising will be addressed.

Kirk, Katie. "The legal and political imperatives for proposed amendments of the South African Patents Act to implement TRIPS flexibilities and enhance the framework for access to medicines." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13874.

Includes bibliographical references.
A multitude of factors affect the ability of South Africans to access the essential medicines, intellectual property (IP) is one of them. This dissertation considers some of opportunities open to South Africa through international IP flexibilities, which are aimed at safeguarding public health rights against the sometimes access-restricting effects of patent right monopolies. Potential pitfalls are also highlighted, noting strategies for South Africa to avoid the worst of them. The paper begins by giving an overview of the way in which patents affect access to medicines, and contending that the time for making the proposed amendments is now.

Mwangi, Perpetua Njeri. "Intellectual property rights protection of publicly financed research and development outcomes: lessons Kenya can learn from the United States of America and South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15213.

Ndungu, Martha Wanjiru. "Employee rights over inventions and innovations in employment in Kenya." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20817.

We live in an economy where intangible assets have become valuable commodities. These intangible assets are created by individuals, or groups who apply their creativity and ingenuity appropriately. The result of such ingenuity and creativity is product that is deemed to be so important that it qualifies for legal protection. Such assets will benefit any individual, business, company or enterprise that has the ownership right or title and the ability to commercially exploit the asset. Therefore, there is an interest in the ownership and control of the assets as well as the manner in which legal entitlement is devised by the law. Where, the asset is an invention that is patentable the law has granted the employer ownership. This thesis considers how the law balances the right it gives to the employer and the compensation it grants the inventive employee. The thesis seeks to ensure that an employee-inventor has been adequately compensated for his ingenuity and for producing the fruits of his creativity.

Hellemeier, Gisa. ""Piracy" in regard to ITV, IPTV and Mobile-Television." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20878.

My minor dissertation in Intellectual Property Law is about Copyright Law and infringement in relation to mobile television, Internet Protocol Television and Internet Television as well as the online services of downloading and streaming. The thesis will contain of five chapters. The first chapter will give an overview of the nature of the problem, the structure and methodology as well as the named media and their technological background. The second chapter will then introduce the relevant technologies, institutions in charge and the general legislation and will serve as background information for the main issues of copyright. Further I will discuss operational licenses, which have to be distinguished from content licenses in the copyright correlation. Chapter three will be the focus of my thesis and will deal with copyright in connection with ITV, IPTV and mobile-TV. It will inter alia portray the issues of infringement, liability, exceptions and limitations in the named context as well as the proposed Copyright Amendment Bill 2015. The fourth chapter will then commence by discussing the German copyright in the relevant aspects of the topic. It will pay special attention to the legal dichotomy of online-streaming. Chapter five will summarise and conclude the relevant findings of the copyright issues. It will further give prospect to the legal dichotomy in South Africa and how to handle it, since there is no applicable local jurisdiction yet. Hence it will go beyond the comparisons by looking ahead for the developing online media and the necessity of law to properly adapt to it.

Vilho, Aina N. "A critical analysis of the protection of traditional knowledge within the Namibian legal system." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13036.

Includes bibliographical references.
Namibia is well known for its unique climate and ecological profile hence its biodiversity, which comprises wild and cultivated species and varieties. The country’s relative isolation has contributed to the maintenance of a unique genetic resource base. There are many naturally occurring plants and animals that have been used since time immemorial by local people as a source of food security, primary health and for their general livelihood, which could be exploited for commercial purposes. There is a growing international interest in bio trade with, and bio prospecting in, Namibia. This paper examines Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR’s)6within the Namibian context. It further examines whether the protection under the current Namibian intellectual property (IP) framework sufficiently protects all types of indigenous TK against exploitation. The rationale for the examination stems from a draft policy on ‘Access to Genetic Resources and the Protection of Associated Traditional Knowledge’. There is little knowledge about the genetic resources that have left Namibia, those that are still here, and their biological and conservation status. The associated problems, concerns and threats underscore the need for policies and legislation to regulate access to genetic resources, to protect TK and practices, and to facilitate the equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources.

Solanke, Oluwatosin Modupe. "Proposed amendments for consideration in the review of the copyright and trademarks protection for the digital environment in Nigeria." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13037.

Includes bibliographical references.
This thesis considers the manner in which Nigerian intellectual property law regulates the digital environment. The main question it asks is whether existing intellectual property law adequately balances and protects the rights of rightholders and users in the digital environment.

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