WHO Board Considers Reform, Director Re-Election, Key IP-Related Issues 16/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The UN World Health Organization Executive Board opened its annual January meeting today with a substantive agenda of reform, election, and a variety of issues that touch on intellectual property rights, research and development and innovation. And with the organization in reform and funding straits in a rapidly changing world, the director general stressed the agency’s steadfast approach and role in addressing the increasing global inequality between rich and poor.
Change Of Year Brings Changes In IP Community 16/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The turning of a new year offers the opportunity to catch up on a range of recent personnel changes in the international IP policy and legal communities.
Danish EU Presidency Priorities Include Research, Innovation, IP Rights 16/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Among Denmark’s many priorities for its six-month presidency of the European Union which started this month are advancing intellectual property rights, international trade, research and innovation. IP issues include a unitary EU patent, trademark rules modernisation, and orphan works legislation.
USPTO In Obama’s Proposed Consolidation Of Trade-Related US Agencies? 13/01/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US President Obama today announced a proposal to combine six government agencies working in areas of international trade and economics, aimed at boosting efficiency. This includes the Commerce Department, which currently houses the US Patent and Trademark Office, and it appears it would affect the USPTO.
Johnson & Johnson Denies Patent Pool Licences For HIV Medicines For The Poor 12/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a move public health advocates say is likely to bring negative consequences for low-income patients with HIV and AIDS, as well as negative publicity for the company, Johnson & Johnson recently announced that it would not enter into negotiations with the Medicines Patent Pool for voluntary licences that would allow several of key treatments to be made in more affordable generic form in developing countries.
Next TPP Talks In March But Intersessionals Ongoing; Canada Seeks Views On Joining 12/01/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The next round of negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is expected to be held in March in Australia, but secretive intersessional meetings on a variety of topics are being held in the meantime. Meanwhile, the Canadian government is considering joining the TPP talks, and is asking for public comments on the idea by 14 February.
ICANN Says Domain Expansion Won’t Hurt UN, WTO 10/01/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is launching a large expansion of the available top-level domains on the internet on 12 January, has told international organisations the expansion will not hurt them.
US Competitiveness Report Shows Struggle With Balance Of IP And Access 09/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new report from the United States Department of Commerce on competitiveness and innovation details the US need to boost innovation in order to compete globally and grow the economy. But while it stresses the need for strong intellectual property rights enforcement to create high-priced monopolies as an incentive for innovation, it also acknowledges that access to inexpensive technology and ideas is key to innovation and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it shows that the rise in IP rights in recent years has been accompanied by a drop in innovation.
USPTO Issues Proposed Rules Implementing America Invents Act 06/01/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published four notices of proposed rulemaking implementing provisions of the patent reform law signed last year. The issuance of the rules, which came ahead of schedule, opens a 60-day comment period on the draft rules.
Change In USPTO Representation At WIPO Could Reflect Shift In Priorities 05/01/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The sudden change in officials in charge of international policy at the United States Patent and Trademark Office could reflect shifting priorities at the World Intellectual Property Organization.