Category: Licensing Negotiation Groups
-
European Commission’s “reality check” shows patent pools and SEP licensors have concerns over unworkable and overreaching rules
The European Commission is trying to revive the spirit of the failed EU SEP Regulation through competition law guidance.
-
U.S. deputy antitrust chief: EU Commission’s comfort letter to Licensing Negotiation Group “concerning and unusual”, irreconcilable with competition law principles
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Dina Kallay gave strong and clear answers to questions from the audience, including ip fray, at a hybrid SEP conference today.
-
European Commission’s competition watchdogs present patent pool-related market power theory that makes zero sense
DG COMP’s market power theory concerning SEP pools has no support in logic, reason, fact or the case law of the European Court of Justice.
-
European Commission proposes condoning group boycott by implementers of standards for six months: licensing negotiation groups
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) today started consultations for its technology transfer guidelines.
-
EU Commission issues comfort letter to Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group: officially policy-driven competition (non)-enforcement
Context: About a year ago, the Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Office (FCO) of Germany) granted what we called an unprecedented cartel clearance to an Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group (ALNG) for standard-essential patents (SEPs) consisting mainly of the three major German automotive groups (June 10, 2024 ip fray article). Pool administrators and SEP holders doubt that an…
-
German cartel clearance of Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group for SEPs won’t matter if SEP holders simply say no
The extent to which Germany’s Federal Cartel Office is prepared to condone an Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group for SEPs is extremely limited, if not negligible.
-
German Federal Cartel Office grants unprecedented cartel clearance to Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group for SEPs
The German Federal Cartel Office today announced an unprecedented and problematic decision to grant cartel clearance to an Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group for standard-essential patents. But any company participating in such a group can still be held liable in other jurisdictions.
-
Volkswagen takes early-bird Avanci 5G license for all of its brands, contrasting with VW’s delayed 4G upgrade
Shortly after the license agreement with General Motors, Avanci 5G announces another signing of a high-volume multi-brand automaker: all brands of the Volkswagen Group are on board.
-
Automotive industry players seeking cartel clearance for Licensing Negotiation Groups: a leopard doesn’t change its spots
Licensing Negotiation Groups were proposed by certain automakers years ago, but failed to get traction with regulatory authorities. A new push is underway while the European Commision is investigating yet another automotive industry cartel.