Chan Denies Pharma Influence As WHO Review Proceeds 28/09/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments “Never did I see a shred of evidence that financial profits for industry, as opposed to epidemiological and virological data, influenced WHO decisions” on a recent influenza pandemic, World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan said today in opening remarks to the International Health Regulations Review Committee.
Internet Access And Human Rights Highlighted Alongside UN Human Rights Council 28/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Can the digital environment be used in a way that promotes real human rights? A group of activists speaking yesterday alongside the ongoing UN Human Rights Council believes that it can, and provided several examples of work they are doing to make that happen.
ACTA Negotiators Still Aiming For Agreement By Year’s End 25/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Countries negotiating a semi-secret trade agreement against piracy and counterfeiting this week in Tokyo are still aiming to reach agreement by the end of this year, a negotiator told Intellectual Property Watch today. The negotiator also did not reject outright the notion that patents might still be included in the draft treaty text, instead saying it is still a matter for discussion.
Civil Society Fights For Participation As ACTA Counter To WIPO Rises 24/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new rival to the World Intellectual Property Organization is being created away from the tempering effect of public scrutiny, which could result in limits on the free movement of knowledge or products subject to IP rights, a civil society representative said yesterday.
USPTO Director David Kappos Speaks On Need For IP Cooperation 24/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Patent offices around the world must work together to combat the inefficiencies in patent processing that threaten to stifle innovation and as a result slow needed growth of the global economy, David Kappos, director of the US Patent and Trademark Office said today.
Musician Stevie Wonder Just Calls On WIPO To Improve Books Access 20/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter and UN Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder today called on the governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization to create a system for copyright law to assist those with disabilities in getting access to education and reading materials. It is time to “declare a state of emergency and end the information deprivation that continues to keep the visually impaired in the dark,” he told assembled delegates.
IP “Authorities” Meet To Discuss IP Infrastructure, Collaboration 19/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The second global symposium of intellectual property authorities met last week at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva to discuss global IP infrastructure and collaboration between IP offices, particularly in ways that might bring greater benefit to small offices.
Consultations On WTO Drug Transit Case Continue 16/09/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The second round of World Trade Organization dispute settlement consultations between the European Union and the Netherlands and India and Brazil over the seizure of generic medicines in transit were held this week.
Economists Report Empirical Evidence Of TRIPS Impact On Developing Countries 16/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement has sparked decades of international debate over whether exporting stronger intellectual property norms to developing countries is beneficial or harmful.
High Copyright Transaction Costs Cause “Friction,” Google Economist Tells WIPO 16/09/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The combined forces of strengthening copyright law and the explosion of information has led to huge transaction costs in managing legitimate transactions of copyright material, the top economist from Google said yesterday at the World Intellectual Property Organization.