WIPO Says Cybersquatting Filings Sharply Up, Watches ICANN’s Domain Name Expansion 31/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Filing complaints about cybersquatting, which the World Intellectual Property Organization defines as the “abusive registration of trademarks as domain names,” is on an upward trend, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said today. Meanwhile, WIPO also launched a review of its dispute panellists.
WHO Experts To Analyse R&D Financing, Focus On Poor Country Diseases 31/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Health Organization expert working group tasked with studying proposals on financing and coordinating research and development for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries will meet next week. The working group’s path is not easy as it follows a predecessor group that sustained allegations of conflict of interest and lack of transparency.
WIPO Discusses Industrial Design Treaty, Trademark Protection On Internet 30/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members congregated this week to advance work on a potential treaty on industrial designs, and to look into trademark protection against infringement on the internet, including through social media. But they ended early after nominal progress in these promising new areas for the United Nations agency.
FAO Seed Treaty Carries Hope, Addressing Country Contributions, Farmers Concerns 30/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Funding mechanisms and farmers’ rights were among the issues that captured the attention of member countries of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture during the biannual meeting of its Governing Body.
US Farmers Sue Monsanto Over GMO Patents, Demand Right To Conventional Crops 30/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 23 Comments The Public Patent Foundation filed suit yesterday against Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seeds with farmers asking to be protected against the biotechnology giant’s potential lawsuits in case of accidental contamination from plants grown with its seeds.
MPAA Head Criticises China, ‘Rogue’ Websites 29/03/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A week into his new job as CEO and Chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), former Senator Chris Dodd gave his “inaugural” speech salted with jabs at China and websites that carry movie content without authorisation of the rights holders.
Registration Still Open For WHO Sessions On R&D Financing 29/03/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The expert group at the World Health Organization looking for ideas to fund research into diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations will open up its first meeting next week to public input. Participants can register for the open sessions until Monday, 4 April at noon. Proposals for a presentation to the group are due by Friday, 1 April at noon.
Intellectual Property Creates Space For Competition In Innovation, WIPO Head Says 29/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property is an available space in which any country can compete, but certain policies are helpful, the head of the World Intellectual Property Organization said today. And he described a global geographic shift in innovation away from Europe and the United States.
Committee Nears Final Review Of WHO Performance On H1N1 Pandemic 29/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The committee reviewing the World Health Organization’s response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and whether the international organisation was unduly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry in its response is working this week to formulate its final report.
Call Issued For UN Intervention In Trans-Pacific Regional Trade Pact 28/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments As officials gather this week to continue negotiations for a trade agreement among countries bordering the Pacific Ocean, a multi-country set of non-governmental organisations and academics urged a United Nations-appointed official to intervene, on grounds that the trade deal will severely impact the public health of poor populations in those countries.
