IP5 Launch Website; Trilateral Offices Meet On Trademarks 08/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The world’s five “major” intellectual property offices, the so-called “IP5,” have launched a website to detail their joint projects, the European Patent Office reported today. In particular, the website will document progress on ten projects agreed to last year on “harmonising the global environment for patent searches and examination and enabling work-sharing,” the EPO release […]
Industry Intellectual Property Enforcers Named To New Posts 08/12/2009 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) today announced the appointment of a new director of intellectual property and trade, effective 7 December. Meanwhile, in the United States, new coordinator for IP enforcement has been cleared.
HIV/AIDS Treatment Access Policies: Emerging Incentives for Pro-Poor Changes to IP? 08/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Daniele Dionisio argues some perspectives on health and IP might change now that controversial practices at the WTO, World Bank and IMF are increasingly under pressure, and that new government policy choices and actors on the world chessboard are emerging.
Mismatch On Traditional Knowledge Treaty Text, Negotiating Sessions At WIPO 08/12/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Folklore (IGC) at the World Intellectual Property Organization began its first meeting under a newly-minted mandate yesterday, though it seems matters of procedure may again take up much of the space for discussions, according to several delegates.
Hotel Chain Fails In Effort To Use Trademark To Block Workers’ Union 08/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A North American hotel chain recently lost a case at the World Intellectual Property Organization against a critical workers’ union website it tried to silence through a trademark claim. A panellist under the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ruled on 2 December that the union had a right to keep a website critical of the […]
USPTO Will Speed Reviews Of Green Tech Patents 07/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office today announced a pilot programme to accelerate examination of some environmental technology patent applications to speed commercialisation. The US-oriented initiative was announced by US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who oversees the patent office, as an entry to the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen. The Obama administration has […]
Future Of Biotechnology And IP: Research Exemptions, Ceilings, Trade Secrets 07/12/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Patenting of biotechnologies is a growing trend and is increasingly raising questions about legal and ethical implications and a lack of harmonisation, according to speakers at a recent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) symposium.
WHO Neglected Disease R&D Finance Group Nears Recommendations 07/12/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An expert working group on innovative financing for research and development, meeting under the auspices of the World Health Organization, held its third and final meeting last week, with a report from the secretive group expected to be released to member states in the coming weeks, according to sources.
Microsoft Drafts Consumers In Fight Against Software Piracy: Carrot And Stick 06/12/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment US software giant Microsoft said Thursday that users globally have started to join the fight against software piracy by sending in over 150,000 reports about problems with fake Microsoft products over the last two years.
EU Patent Regime Approved: Includes EU Patents Court, EU Patent, Coordination 04/12/2009 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment European Union governments have unanimously approved a roadmap for a single European patent regime. The system is seen as key to making patenting less expensive and more efficient for European inventors, but the devil, as always, is in the details, stakeholders say.