Plain Packaging For Tobacco Raises IPR Questions At WTO 16/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments At the last session of the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council, the Dominican Republic challenged an Australian draft law requiring plain packaging for tobacco products as being incompatible with its WTO obligations, eclipsing other agenda items. The TRIPS Council also addressed other regular agenda items such as related to biodiversity and public health, according to sources.
Possible Treaties Brewing At WIPO Committee On Copyright 14/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Potential international legal instruments will be discussed this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization where delegates will try to find common language to address the protection of audiovisual performances, the protection of broadcasting organisations and agree on a set of exceptions and limitations to copyright for visually impaired people.
UN Expert: No Government Internet Restrictions For Political Reasons, IPRs 07/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Governments should refrain from restricting the flow of information on the internet, and the private sector should not be in charge of policing it, a United Nations adviser on freedom of opinion and expression said last week in a report. He also criticised disconnection of users on intellectual property rights grounds.
New Fund To Help Ratify And Implement Nagoya Protocol 06/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new fund has been established to help developing countries ratify and implement the Nagoya protocol on access and benefit sharing, the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) said last week.
Let The WIPO Dialogues Begin! 01/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Negotiators at the UN World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva will have a new conference hall in which to debate in 2013, with construction starting this summer, according to a press release.
Partnership To Share Research, Keep IP Rights, On Neglected Diseases 01/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) signed an agreement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi on 30 May for a three-year research project on nine neglected tropical diseases that will come with intellectual property rights on research results for both sides, according to a press release from the international organisation in Switzerland.
Proposed EU Customs Regulation May Not Dispel Fear Of Wrongful Drug Seizures 31/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 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 Reform 30/05/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 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.
UN Project Examines Better Access To Drugs For The Poor Through Local Production 27/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Improving 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.
Recent Personnel Changes In Geneva 26/05/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Recent weeks have seen several personnel changes at Geneva institutions working on international intellectual property rights and innovation, including at missions, international organisations and foundations.