Interviews: What Protection Of Traditional Knowledge Means To Indigenous Peoples 20/08/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization member states in July concluded the biennium work of the committee tasked with finding agreement on international legal tools to prevent misappropriation and misuse of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. Indigenous peoples and local communities are holders of a substantial part of this knowledge and are demanding that it be protected against misappropriation but also against its use without their consent. Intellectual Property Watch recently conducted two interviews on the issue with different indigenous groups.
What Does WTO Extension For LDCs To Enforce IP Mean For Pharmaceuticals? 02/08/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The recent extension granted by World Trade Organization members to least developed countries giving 8 more years to implement international intellectual property protection rules threw a shroud of confusion over a parallel WTO waiver for pharmaceutical products conferred on least developed countries until 2016. In an attempt to shed some light on the issue, several experts were asked for their reflections on the consequences of the new extension.
WIPO General Assembly Left To Decide Future Work Of TK Committee 25/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments After three days of stocktaking, members of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge were unable to agree on a recommendation on the future work of the committee to the September WIPO General Assembly. Instead, a report will be transmitted to the Assembly with the expectation that this high level committee will reach agreement.
WIPO Talks On Future Of TK, Genetic Resources, Folklore Intensify 24/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization committee members have laid out options for establishing an instrument or instruments to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. Now they are working to choose among them.
WIPO Committee To Decide Fate Of Treaties To Protect TK, Genetic Resources, Folklore 23/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization committee members will decide by tomorrow whether to recommend WIPO move to final high-level negotiations on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.
GI Proponents Seek Recognition In New Internet Domains Programme At ICANN 11/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the run-up to next week’s meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a lobby group promoting the recognition and the protection of geographical indications has sent a letter to ICANN requesting that better consideration be given to GI owners’ rights under ICANN’s programme of new domain names.
Questions Arise Over EU Draft Regulation To Implement Nagoya Protocol 03/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission has prepared a draft regulation to implement an international protocol to prevent biopiracy, leading two non-governmental organisations to publish an opinion piece voicing concerns about it. The European Parliament is scheduled to review the draft on 4 July. A key concern is whether it would cover non-European genetic resources already in European collections.
How The Main Issues Of The Marrakesh Treaty For The Blind Were Solved In The Nick Of Time 01/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments It is no secret that the negotiations were arduous leading up to the Marrakesh treaty on exceptions and limitations to copyright for the blind, to the point where there were doubts halfway through the 17-28 June diplomatic conference that consensus could be reached. Unanimous credit was given to the facilitator of informal discussions between parties, Martin Moscoso, director of the Copyright Office of Peru (INDECOPI). During the week, tensions were high, as some contentious issues were still unresolved. Intellectual Property Watch asked Moscoso what tipped the balance between a text with a large number of open issues to a clean text with no brackets.
Over 50 Countries Sign Marrakesh Treaty On Copyright Exceptions And Limitations For The Blind 01/07/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Marrakesh, Morocco – The 28 June signing of the new international treaty to improve access to published materials for the visually impaired brought relief to the beneficiaries and satisfaction to delegations. But some underlined the need to sign and ratify the new treaty.
Stevie Wonder In Marrakesh: Today Is A Very Good Day, Now Go Ratify The Treaty! 28/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Marrakesh, Morocco – True to what he said in a 21 June video message, world-famous blind songwriter and performer Stevie Wonder kept his promise to come to Marrakesh if delegates agreed on a treaty to improve access to published material for blind people.