JOINIntellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
IP is protected in law by patent, copyright, and trademark law. These laws enable people to earn recognition and/or financial benefit from what they invent or create.
The IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish by striking a balance between the interests of creators and the public.
Copyright law
Copyright law (sometimes referred to as authors’ rights in continental legal regimes) is a legal discipline that describes the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works.
Works covered by copyright range from books, journals, articles, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, maps, and technical drawings. The selection and arrangement of data may also be eligible for copyright protection.
Copyright law is the mechanism through which publishing houses are able to manage the content they own and license, and the bundle of rights can be divvied to achieve an appropriate balance of protection (e.g., so that publishers can recover their investment), openness (e.g., for public access), and responsible stewardship of the scientific record (e.g., by enabling right holders to pursue legal remedies for pirated and compromised content.
The Latest from STM
STM joins News/Media Alliance and AAP in Amicus Brief on Mosaic AI Training
STM has joined the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and News/Media Alliance in filing an Amicus Brief in In Re Mosaic LLM Litigation, concerning the alleged unauthorised use of copyrighted books in AI training. The brief was filed on 27 August 2026 in opposition to the defendants’ motion for summary judgment. The brief argues that using…
STM prepares comments for AI and copyright consultations in the Asia-Pacific region
Following other governments, the National Copyright Administration in China and the Intellectual Copyright Office in Malaysia have opened consultations on the topics of AI and copyright. China’s draft regulations avoid proposing any new exception, and STM’s response supports this choice. The Malaysian government is more open to the idea, although a concrete proposal hasn’t been…
EU Commission publishes feasibility study on TDM right reservation registry
The EU Commission has published a feasibility study looking into the possibility of setting up a registry for text and data mining (TDM). The proposed registry would facilitate the expression by rightsholders of right reservation on their content for TDM purposes (which preserves licensing routes) and, at the same time, make it easier for AI companies to…
India and EU start talks for association to Horizon Europe
Official negotiations have started for India to join the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme from 2027. They would follow a number of other non-neighbouring countries which have negotiated their association, including Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, and the Republic of Korea.