The establishment of Intellectual Property Rights is of utmost importance for the functioning of the market mechanism in a modern economy based more and more on trade in services and software products. Most Central and Eastern European Countries already dispose on systems of Intellectual Property Rights protection. The law enforcement mechanism in a series of countries, however, must still be strengthened. In one section of the book, the authors give an overview on the institutionalisation of Intellectual Property Rights in Central and Eastern Europe and in some successor states of the former Soviet Union with special regard to Russia. Moreover, Intellectual Property Rights systems in the United States and Western Europe are compared and the rules of WTO were taken under consideration in order to find out their potential for fostering (or hampering) the central and eastern European process of transition. Finally, a deliberation on the historical grounds and theoretical foundations of individual and common property rights with regard to economic and technological innovation is included into the collection. The volume gives a comprehensive overview on the state of Intellectual Property Rights institutionalisation in the course of the process of transition in Central and Eastern Europe.

Intellectual property law faces serious challenges worldwide, with many in the international community arguing that the law fails to provide much-needed support for either individual rights or the public interest in the technological environment. The Cambridge Handbook of Intellectual Property in Central and Eastern Europe offers a novel look at intellectual property issues through the lens of the post-socialist and transitional experience in Central and Eastern European countries. Contributors include both recognized and emerging leaders in their jurisdictions of interest, and experts on US, European Union, and international law. Taken together, they offer a thought-provoking critique of current approaches and build a compelling case for cogent policymaking. This important work reflects the formative experiences of a difficult history, demonstrating the courageous optimism of scholars in a region that has repeatedly overcome the challenges of the past, while consistently looking to its authors and innovators for leadership and inspiration.

A comprehensive overview of intellectual property law, this handbook will be a vital read for all invested in the field of IP law. Topics include the foundations of IP law; its emergence and development in various jurisdictions; its rules and principles; and current issues arising from the existence and operation of IP law in a political economy.

. . . the book is a well-presented collection of scholarly articles on diverse, stimulating topics. . . The levels of explanation and detail vary from chapter-to-chapter and so the reader will probably find the book most helpful to consult for key topics of interest. . . The breadth of the book means that students, academics and interested practitioners should find areas that will appeal. Frederick Chen, European Intellectual Property Review Together the essays cover some of the most topical issues in IP and related fields, and should therefore be of immense interest and value to any serious student of the subject. The Commonwealth Lawyer It is an extremely thought-provoking book, crammed full of excellent papers which are genuinely original, and push forward the boundaries of their retrospective topics. . . the book is without doubt worth purchasing for anyone interested in IP theory, pharmaceuticals or traditional knowledge. . . the papers are of incredibly good quality. . . a few of those alone make the book worth purchasing. My impromptu rating system will therefore award it 5 out of 5 stars. James Griffin, Communications Law This book covers an extensive range of critical issues in modern Intellectual Property (IP) law under three broad headings: Technology, Market Freedom and the Public Domain; Intellectual Property and International Trade; Traditional Knowledge, Technology and Resources. Uniting contributions at the cutting edge of IP research, the authors, all former or current members and associates of the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, University of London, address a number of diverse topics in relation to existing copyright, trademark and patent law. They examine political and juridical issues in fields such as geographical indications and traditional knowledge, agriculture and information technology, pharmaceuticals and access to medicines, human rights and IP strategy. The book will appeal to academics, researchers, students, and to practitioners concerned with all areas of intellectual property.

This book provides a comprehensive assessment of minority rights in Central and Eastern Europe, covering all the countries of the region that have joined the EU since 2004, including Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.

This book explores the interface between intellectual property and human rights law and policy. The relationship between these two fields has captured the attention of governments, policymakers, and activist communities in a diverse array of international and domestic political and judicial venues. These actors often raise human rights arguments as counterweights to the expansion of intellectual property in areas including freedom of expression, public health, education, privacy, agriculture, and the rights of indigenous peoples. At the same time, creators and owners of intellectual property are asserting a human rights justification for the expansion of legal protections. This book explores the legal, institutional, and political implications of these competing claims: by offering a framework for exploring the connections and divergences between these subjects; by identifying the pathways along which jurisprudence, policy, and political discourse are likely to evolve; and by serving as an educational resource for scholars, activists, and students.

Covering the World Intellectual Property Organization, this volume introduces a much ignored element of the contemporary structure of global governance to scholars of international political economy. Christopher May discusses: how the World Intellectual Property Organization works, its antecedents and history the debates about the role and justification of intellectual property the role of WIPO within contemporary global politics the key elements of its relations with the World Trade Organization the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. The analysis then examines the recent political economy of the organization and argues that far from being the neutral or technical agency that it often presents itself as, the WIPO is highly politicized and acts to socialize policy makers and civil servants into a specific view of intellectual property. However, the recent proposal to establish a Development Agenda at the WIPO is an important development, and the book concludes by examining the problems which have promoted this agenda, suggesting that these reforms of the WIPO should be welcomed. The World Intellectual Property Organization is a clear and accessible volume that will confirm the WIPO as one of the global institutions which any student of global governance must understand.