Agreement At WIPO Patent Law Committee Signals Less North-South Contention 07/12/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Satisfaction was shared at the World Intellectual Property Organization yesterday as its patent law committee closed early with an agreement on its future work. According to delegates taking the floor, the subject of future work answers interests of different groups. Approval of proposals on patents and health were particularly noteworthy, according to sources.
Licensing Experts Share Experiences At WIPO 07/12/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Voluntary licences are cited by some as the best way to facilitate access to medicines. Terms of the licences are important, many factors have to be taken into consideration, and the earlier the better, as explained by licencing experts at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week.
South Africa Parliament Passes Sweeping Copyright Bill; Final Step Expected In New Year 07/12/2018 by Linda Daniels for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment South Africa’s National Assembly this week approved redrafted versions of the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill and the Copyright Amendment Bill that includes stronger protections for copyright holders but also a fair use provision preserving some exceptions. But there is still an additional hurdle to go before it reaches the President for signature, likely in the New Year.
Report: Core Copyright Industries Add $1.3 Trillion To US Economy 07/12/2018 by Emmanuel Legrand for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Core copyright industries have contributed more than $1.3 trillion to US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017, and accounted for 6.85% of the US economy. They employed nearly 5.7 million workers in 2017, accounting for 3.85% of the entire US workforce, or 4.54% of total private employment in the United States, according to the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA)’s “Copyright Industries in the U.S. Economy: The 2018 Report.”
EU Members Push For Private Censorship Of Terrorist Content On The Internet 06/12/2018 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Big platform providers and small hosters alike shall be obliged to censor, according to a draft regulation presented by the European Commission in mid-September and accepted by EU member states at their Council meeting today.
Towards WIPO Regional Seminars On Copyright Exceptions: Looking Out For Users 06/12/2018 by Beatrice Marone for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Twelve years after the first proposal on the topic, it’s time to speed up the discussion about the global copyright limitations and exceptions regime, advocates and officials said alongside negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization last week. And a key focus will be on regional meetings being planned by WIPO on the issue.
OECD Report Presents Policies To Balance Innovation With Access To Medicines 05/12/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released a new report that presents policy options for countries to strike a better balance between promoting financial incentives for pharmaceutical innovation and ensuring affordable access to medicines. Finding this balance, the report explains, will be essential for ensuring the sustainability of health systems.
Google, YouTube Accused Of Disinformation, Scaremongering By European Authors 05/12/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment European creators are alleging a scaremongering campaign by YouTube, and more than 30 entities representing creators in France say Google and YouTube are leading a massive fake information campaign against the European copyright directive currently under discussion in order to protect their commercial interests.
Transparency Of Patent Status Key For Health Actors: Databases Presented At WIPO 05/12/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Information on the status of patents can be key for medicines procurement agencies seeking to know if they can source cheaper generic products. Several databases providing free information on patent status were presented yesterday at the World Intellectual Property Organization. The World Health Organization, also invited, hailed the efforts, but warned against listing follow-on patents, which could confuse procurement professionals. And a prominent molecular biologist, chief executive of a patents-and-scholarly database, called for breaking silos to advance innovation.
Health Advocacy Groups Appeal EPO Decision To Uphold Gilead Hepatitis C Patent 05/12/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Six organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders), today appealed a European Patent Office decision to uphold Gilead Science’s patent on hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir.