Negotiations about a new EU-South Korean Free Trade Agreement have taken a while, but finally parties reached an agreement. Although ambitious, nothing shocking it seems, but as soon words like “intellectual property” and “computer programs” are used in the same context – in this case what is known as “Chapter 10″ of the Trade Agreement, this is like waving a red flag to a bull. The agreement is not all that exciting to read and many provisions are merely confirmations on already existing...

Is there morality in the way patents are being enforced? Has morality to do with IP and if so how does that exactly work out? It crossed my mind reading Netherlands’ morning newspaper “de Volkskrant” heading on the front page “Douane legt beslag op pillen Derde Wereld” (“Customs seizes pills destined for Third World” ).  Organizations like Medicines sans Frontieres and Oxfam Novib have lobbied the WTO and the EU Commission to complain about pharma companies using the European Border Detention Regulation (EC Regulation...