Free Trade Agreements and IP

The globalization of the norms, standards principles and rules that govern commerce and business have well been documented. Since the signing of multilateral WTO-Trade related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) agreement over two decades ago, norms on intellectual property rights are increasingly made internationally in the context of trade and investment treaties. Intellectual property laws in this context can no longer be made nationally in isolation and states are to an extent have limited latitudes to regulate intellectual property norms. There are several additional on-going initiatives for bilateral, plurilateral trade and investment agreements between states in Europe, USA as well as in Asia. At this juncture, it is crucial to take a stock of current developments, such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would affect not only nation-states but also business and private actors in Europe. This conference would explore in particular, not only substance of the IP law norms in the proposals but also the changing dynamics between private actors and states, as well as among the institutions that such proposals would ensue, globally.

Program

13.00 – 13.15     Overview – Trade agreements and IP
Professor Nari Lee, Hanken School of Economics

13.15 – 13.50    Crucial Issues on IP in the TTIP Negotiation
Anders Jessen, Head of Unit European Commission, DG Trade

13.50 – 14.00    Discussion

14.00 – 14.35     TTIP and IP: The changing framework of international intellectual property protection?
Professor Hanns Ullrich, MPI, Munich/Germany, College of Europe, Bruge, Belgium

14.35 – 14.45    Discussion

14.45 – 15.00     Coffee

15.00 – 15.35     Litigating IP Rights in Investor – State Arbitration
Professor Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan, University of Cambridge

15.35 – 15.45    Discussion

15.45 – 16.20    The Problem Investors-State Dispute settlement in Trade agreements
Academy Professor Martti Koskenniemi, University of Helsinki

16.20 – 16.30     Discussion and Conference Closing