Outgoing US Commerce Chief Backs House Patent Reform Bill, Nearly31/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentOutgoing United States Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today gave near-complete approval of legislation to reform US patent law which is awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
Proposed EU Customs Regulation May Not Dispel Fear Of Wrongful Drug Seizures31/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe European Commission has issued a new draft customs regulation that it says addresses past concerns over wrongful seizures of generic drug shipments transiting through European ports. But the new regulation does not substantively change existing rules, it said, and civil society groups say it does not go far enough. The EU regulation is the subject of a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case.
WHO Board Lays Out Steps To UN Agency’s Reform30/05/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe World Health Organization Executive Board last week requested more details on the organisation’s planned reform and established a consultative process for the reform, according to sources.
G8 Highlights Internet, IP Rights, Innovation, WIPO27/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentLeaders of the Group of Eight industrialised countries today concluded their annual meeting, this year held in Deauville, France, with a communiqué bearing extensive discussion of the internet, intellectual property rights, and innovation – and a call for the World Intellectual Property Organization to step up work. In fact, it had a lot more to say about these issues than it did about the global economy or trade.
New “Final” ACTA Text Published, Open For Signature27/05/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 CommentsA new “final” text of the secretive but potent Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been published by the European Commission, according to the Foundation for Free Information Infrastructure (FFII).
UN Project Examines Better Access To Drugs For The Poor Through Local Production27/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentImproving access to medicines in developing countries through local pharmaceutical production is at the centre of a project involving several institutional actors working on health and trade. Technology transfer is key to local production, but some prerequisites like a favourable policy environment and the ability of developing countries to use technology transfer are essential to encourage local production, according to panellists at a recent event.
IT Industry Sends Mixed Message To The Group Of 8 In Deauville27/05/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentIt was a mixed message going out from the eG8 Forum – the first “Internet G8 meeting“ – that ended in Paris this week and passed its results to the heads of state of the Group of 8 most industrialised countries meeting now in Deauville, France.
Recent Personnel Changes In Geneva26/05/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentRecent weeks have seen several personnel changes at Geneva institutions working on international intellectual property rights and innovation, including at missions, international organisations and foundations.
WHO Set On Reform Path With Concerns; Pandemic Plan Agreed, Counterfeits Not24/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 CommentsAfter ten days of discussions, country delegates closed the annual World Health Assembly today with the adoption of a set of decisions, one of which is a drastic programme of reforms that is intended to restore the World Health Organization’s central place in public health governance.
EU Commission Flexes Enforcement Muscles With New IPR Strategy24/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentThe European Commission today published a strategy intended to boost the economy by analysing and applying polish to European Union rules on intellectual property rights, including increased attention to enforcement with a crackdown on small shipments from internet purchases.
