Nigerian Copyright Reform Becomes Less Transparent As Comments Roll In 25/01/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Nigerian government has continued to make progress toward new copyright legislation in recent weeks, but efforts appear to have become less transparent, as the results of a public comment period that ended weeks ago have not been made available and the draft copy of the bill is no longer available on the Copyright Commission website.
EPO Revokes Monsanto Patent On Virus-Resistant Melon 22/01/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The European Patent Office on 20 January revoked a patent held by Monsanto on virus-resistant melons for technical reasons, much to the glee of opponents of patents on conventional plants. [updated]
WIPO Conference On IP And Development Provisional Programme Is Out 22/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The provisional programme for an international conference on intellectual property and development at World Intellectual Property Organization taking place in April is now available.
UK IP Office Unveils 5-Year Strategy to Make Businesses More IP-Aware 21/01/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Kingdom has a vibrant creative sector but many businesses don’t take full advantage of their intellectual property, IP Minister Baroness (Lucy) Neville-Rolfe said in her introduction to an Intellectual Property Office five-year strategy report released today. IPO research shows that over 90 percent of firms haven’t valued their IP, and small to mid-sized companies often don’t understand or know how to protect it, she said. Even a modest boost in those figures could have a significant impact on the UK economy, she said.
WHO Board To Address Reform Progress, R&D Financing, Lobbyists/ Foundations 21/01/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Next week, the World Health Organization Executive Board will hold its biannual meeting. On the agenda are key subjects such as the WHO reform process, sharing of influenza viruses for R&D, and a controversial framework for the WHO’s engagement with actors such as non-governmental organisations, private entities, and foundations. Also on the agenda is the effort to address the growing microbial resistance to antibiotics, and finding a way to finance research and development for diseases affecting primarily developing countries.
Medicines Patent Pool Announces Sub-Licensing Agreements For Hepatitis C Generics 20/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Jahan ‘Harry’ Taubman-Rezakhanlou for Intellectual Property Watch The Medicines Patent Pool today announced its first round of sub-licensing agreements with four generic manufacturers for the production and sale of a generic line of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s daclatasvir to 112 lower-to middle income countries.
Panels Look At IP Considerations In Representing Creative Talent 19/01/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – At a conference of hundreds of performers and agents in a hotel perched on Times Square this week, panellists told some interesting stories about intellectual property rights and protecting – or failing to protect – creations and performances.
Copyright, Unitary Patent System Lead EU IP Priorities In 2016 19/01/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Modernisation of EU copyright and intellectual property rights enforcement law tops Europe’s agenda in 2016. Trademark reform legislation approved last year takes effect this year, and a preliminary deal on trade secrets protection is expected to be finalised. Work on the unitary patent system continues, and there’s an increased focus on the issue of patents versus plant breeders’ rights.
ITU Report On Internet Of Things: Great Potential For Development But Privacy, Interoperability Concerns 19/01/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Connected devices talking to each other and to humans could solve major global challenges and be a vector for global development, according to a new report by the UN International Telecommunication Union and Cisco Systems. However, issues remain, such as strategies to protect privacy, and interoperability between devices and systems.
WIPO Training In Africa: Brand SMEs’ Products To Exploit Innovation And Commercialization 15/01/2016 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments KAMPALA, Uganda – Small and medium enterprises in Uganda should brand their products with geographical indications and collective marks to gain competitive advantage. This was one of the messages during a recent World Intellectual Property Organization event entitled, Advanced Training of Trainers Program on Effective Intellectual Property Asset Management by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, (SMEs). The training took place in Kampala, Uganda on 8-10 December.