US Legislation Would Prevent Patents On Tax Strategies 31/01/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments A bill was introduced into the United States Senate last week that would prevent any individual or company from being able to get a patent on a tax strategy. The bill also is included in the patent reform bill reintroduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee last week and expected to come up as soon as this week.
Are European Think Tanks Corporate Lobbyists By Another Name? 31/01/2011 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Think tanks can be a godsend for reporters with a looming deadline. Almost invariably, they are staffed with articulate policy specialists, adept at summarising complex issues in a few quotable sentences. Frequently, too, the think tanks have neutral-sounding names, so a reader or viewer of news reports can easily believe that they are independent of vested interests. Closer inspection reveals that many of these “independent” bodies are in fact heavily reliant on corporate donations. This is especially the case for a number of think tanks working on intellectual property.
Last Online Voices Before Change Bursts From Digital Darkness In Egypt? 28/01/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For anyone in Egypt in recent months or years, it was impossible to ignore the extraordinary destitution of masses of people living in dusty, stark cement structures everywhere on the edges of Cairo or the choked roads clogged with a far-too-rapidly swollen population. Reports from the ground via digital technologies chronicled events that hit this week, but it might be the digital silence today that seals the change.
WTO Geographical Indications Talks Tiptoe; Substantive Discussion Coming 28/01/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments After more than a decade of stalled negotiations, World Trade Organization members have entered into a debate about creating a register for the international protection of wines and spirits with place names.
Innovation, Generic Drugs, Patents In Congress Follow Obama’s State of the Union Speech 28/01/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments American lawmakers aren’t wasting any time getting down to business after President Obama stressed the importance of spurring innovation during his annual State of the Union address this week and cited the need for the United States to regain its competitive edge, particularly when up against countries such as China and India. A slew of related bills are emerging in Congress.
EU Patent Jumps Parliamentary Committee Hurdle 27/01/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A proposal for a single patent system in the European Union through an “enhanced co-operation procedure” was approved by the EU Parliament Legal Affairs Committee today.
Midem Music Congress: The Two Universes Of The Music Business 26/01/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment CANNES – More help from governments, a hope for new cloud music services and new markets in emerging countries like Brazil. India and China were on the wish list of the big music labels and publishers at this week’s annual industry bash in Cannes, France. Technology companies and the newly invited hackers were more concerned with new ways to better access music and connecting artists and fans.
GSK Critiques Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement 25/01/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has taken a stance on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), welcoming most of its provisions, but requesting a harmonised approach for implementation, because the much-debated agreement would leave a lot of space for differing national implementations. GSK warns in its paper against individual EU countries adopting ACTA into national law, something which […]
WHO Gears Up For Reform Driven By Financial Shortfall 25/01/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The Executive Board session of the World Health Organization ended early on Monday after a week of discussions that settled some issues but left some others for the next governing meeting of the organisation in May, with much to do until then. The WHO is facing a significant gap in its budget and a programme of reforms is brewing.
Global Fund Faces Problems Of Fraud Among Recipients 24/01/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Today, the Global Fund sought to settle concerns about fraud involving millions of dollars it provided to several African countries. The fund had been strongly supported by developed countries for its direct model of providing funds for health work on the ground in developing countries, and evidence of corruption among recipients drew international attention.
