WIPO, WTO Requested To Advise On Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Several members of the European Parliament today sent letters to the directors general of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization requesting technical assistance in the negotiation of an agreement that some are calling an attempt to circumvent global norms on intellectual property enforcement and related public interest flexibility.
Committee Examines Undue Influence, Coordination In WHO Pandemic Flu Response 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A review of the World Health Organization’s response to the 2009 pandemic influenza outbreak kicked off this week, with firm statements from those involved in the response that they were not unduly influenced by outside stakeholders. Still, serious questions remain about the coordination effort, as a nearly a year after the pandemic was declared developed countries find themselves having to dispose of excess vaccines while poorer countries are reporting they have yet to obtain as many as they need.
Kroes: Future Internet Needs Partnerships, Standards 14/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Neelie Kroes, European Commission vice president and commissioner for the Digital Agenda spoke today about the future of the internet. In Valencia, Spain for a conference, she emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships, characterised innovation as “the only way to remain a global player,” and said small and medium-sized enterprises are key job generators and […]
UNITAID Patent Pool Budget Approved; Implementation To Begin 13/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Today, board members of international drug purchasing mechanism UNITAID approved a 2010 budget for a pioneering patent pool initiative.
New US Government Report On Counterfeit, Piracy 13/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The US Government Accountability Office, an agency that works as a “congressional watchdog” investigating how taxpayer money is spent, has released a new report on intellectual property. The report [pdf] reviews the economic effects of counterfeiting and piracy. It finds negative effects on consumers and industry – such as lost brand value and incentives to […]
WHO Documents From Counterfeit Meeting Now Online 12/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization secretariat record of a International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) meeting that took place 26 March are now available online. Intellectual Property Watch reported on the meeting earlier, including statements made by stakeholders (IPW, WHO, 31 March 2010). The new documents are from the WHO secretariat and include the meeting agenda […]
WHO Review Of Pandemic Flu Response Underway 12/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan today opened an expert review process on the way WHO handled the outbreak of a pandemic influenza virus last year. In her opening speech, Chan called it the “most closely watched and carefully scrutinized pandemic in history.” She added that “in planning and organizing this review, WHO aimed […]
Public ACTA Declaration Open For Signature 11/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments When government negotiators start the next round of closed meetings on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) this week in Wellington New Zealand, they will be served a declaration by “Public ACTA”, an initiative by New Zealand’s country code registry InternetNZ.
UK Passes Internet Access-Limiting Bill For Alleged IP Infringers 08/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Kingdom Parliament late last night approved a controversial digital economy bill that allows the court to impose obligations on internet service providers to limit internet access of its users deemed to have infringed online copyrights.
Smooth Criminal Harmonisation — ACTA, EU And IPR Enforcement 08/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Lassi Jyrkkiö writes: Anything one can consider as politically cool from an EU perspective, ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, the multilateral treaty to combat counterfeiting and piracy) negotiations have got it all: the internet, the USA, large potential for media exposure and a hitherto Nixonian element of secrecy balanced by a flow of thrilling documents leaked by generous deep-throats.