IPRs An Issue In Latest HIV Treatment Monitoring Test, Group Says 10/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – Intellectual property rights represent a hurdle to lower-priced, high quality tests of HIV treatment monitoring in developing countries, public health group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors without Borders) said today.
Statement From TPP Ministers Shows Agreement May Be Near 10/12/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Trade ministers of the 12 countries negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) today issued a statement signalling a breakthrough on the treaty, but lacking specifics.
Leaked Documents Show Tough Road To Completion Of TPP 10/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The far-reaching Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement may be even more ambitious than previously thought. A newly leaked alleged recent memorandum and chart giving a rare view of country positions from inside the closed negotiating room showed the 12 countries to be far apart on many issues, especially intellectual property rights, heading into this week’s talks in Singapore. And they suggest the United States is facing pushback to its vigorous efforts to get those differences resolved quickly.
WIPO, OECD, Lessig Hail CC 3.0 Intergovernmental Licence 09/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has issued a press release hailing the completion of a Creative Commons licence for intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) to offer their published material for others to share with minimal restrictions. WIPO was joined by a wide range of other IGOs such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), numerous United Nations agencies like the World Health Organization, and Creative Commons founder Prof. Larry Lessig.
Despite Global Economic Gloom, IP Registration Boomed In 2012 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment China is on top again – for rapid growth in intellectual property filings. Defying global economic turmoil, the big headline from the 2013 World Intellectual Property Indicators released today, shows that China topped the charts when compared to other countries in term of patent and trademark filings last year. But the report, produced by the World Intellectual Property Organization, indicated good news for other countries and IP as well; patent filings overall grew by 9.2 percent last year – the fastest growth in the last 18 years.
Revised WIPO Treaty On Appellations Of Origin On Course, Chair Says 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of an international treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization protecting appellations of origin last week worked on a draft treaty revision, which now includes geographical indications. Treaty signatories aim to hold a high-level negotiation in 2015 to approve the revision. Meanwhile, countries which do not use geographical indications have voiced concerns about the proposed revision.
Panel: Protection Of Handicrafts Gains Global Interest; Challenges Persist In The South 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the side of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting last week working to revise a treaty protecting appellations of origin and soon to include geographical indication, a private-sector seminar was organised in the hope of generating economic interest in non-agricultural geographical indications.
Cape Town Conference Highlights Innovation, IP And Public Interest 08/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – Some 350 experts from around the world are gathering here this week to discuss intellectual property rights and innovation as they relate to the public interest.
Experts At WHO Select Eight Projects To Boost Medical R&D For Developing Countries 06/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A group of experts summoned to select projects presenting innovative ways to foster research and development of medical products for diseases primarily affecting developing countries at the World Health Organization this week finished their work and selected eight projects out of 22. Civil society was quick to express concern that the selected projects do not propose a new way forward. Now WHO member states must narrow the list down further.
Candidates From Australia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Vie For WIPO Director Seat 06/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The names are in: four candidates will compete to be the next director general of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. In addition to Australia’s nomination of incumbent Francis Gurry to lead for a second term, Nigeria, Panama, and at the last minute, Estonia, submitted names.