The Register: EU debates privacy of IP numbers - by John Oates

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EU debates privacy of IP numbers - by John Oates

The European Union moved closer to labelling Internet Protocol addresses as personal information yesterday at a public hearing of the Civil Liberties Committee. Peter Scharr, Germany's data protection commissioner and the man behind an EU group considering the privacy policies of major search engines, told the meeting that if IP addresses identify a specific individual they should be considered personal data.Rotenberg said that deals like Google's takeover of DoubleClick "underscore the need to bring data protection into account when the responsible authorities review the merger". The EU is currently considering whether or not Google's purchase of DoubleClick should go ahead.

Faegre & Benson LLP - Combating IP Piracy And Counterfeiting In The European Union - by Christian Falk

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Combating IP Piracy And Counterfeiting In The European Union - by Christian Falk

Piracy and counterfeiting by entities operating in non-EU member states is causing considerable damage to the intellectual property of companies operating in the EU. Manufacturers of branded goods must therefore do everything in their power to protect themselves. One option worth considering is coordinated confiscation of infringing goods throughout the EU – including confiscation at trade fairs.