USPTO Seeks Comment On New Patent Process 03/06/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The US Patent and Trademark Office is seeking comments on a proposed new patent examination initiative aimed at providing applicants with greater control over the speed with which their applications are examined and promoting greater efficiency in the examination process. The USPTO initiative would introduce a three-track programme, rather than the current single approach, the […]
Double-Barrelled Databases: WIPO GOLD And USPTO-Google 02/06/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Today two separate search engines for intellectual property rights were announced in Geneva and Washington, DC, both of which have the potential to significantly ease searches for patents, trademarks and other IP. The World Intellectual Property Organization on 1 June launched WIPO GOLD, a free online global resource for accessing its databases. The new feature […]
US To Monitor Federal Science Investment Impact 02/06/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States government has launched a new initiative it claims will monitor the impact of US federal science investments on employment, knowledge generation and health outcomes. The initiative is led by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Called Science and Technology for […]
New EU E-Communications Regulatory Body Based In Latvia 31/05/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The new Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) will establish its office in Riga, Latvia, it has been announced. The regulatory body, berec.europa.eu, is made up of the heads of the 27 national telecommunications regulators and is assisted by an office to be based in Riga. It also was decided this week that […]
UNCTAD Chief: Economic Recovery Will Revive Doha Talks 28/05/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The stalled Doha Round trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization will become important again once the current economic stimuli wear off, Supachai Panitchpakdi, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), told members of the Association of Correspondents Accredited to the United Nations (ACANU) in Geneva today. “Times are now a bit […]
NGOs, Industry Weigh Alternatives For R&D Financing, Counterfeiting At WHO 21/05/2010 by Catherine Saez, William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The past year’s expert working group process at the World Health Organization on solutions for financing of research and development into diseases afflicting poor nations was flawed and led to an unsatisfactory result, representatives of non-governmental organisations said this week. But innovation and access can both be provided, and the issue of IP protection can be de-linked from the way innovation is done, speakers at a side event to this week’s World Health Assembly said. Meanwhile, NGOs and industry also offered their views on WHO counterfeiting efforts this week.
Latest Chair’s Draft Issued On Future Of WHO And IP, Innovation 20/05/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The latest draft is now available from the Swiss chair overseeing a small side group at the World Health Assembly trying to work out how to take forward a landmark initiative within the UN agency on innovation and intellectual property rights. It shows that countries negotiating the WHO’s next step on the sensitive topic are leaning toward establishment of a new group with more government involvement this time.
New Draft Resolution On Counterfeits At WHO 20/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New Leave a Comment A new conference paper has been submitted to the World Health Assembly committee addressing the World Health Organization work on counterfeit and substandard medicines. It offers a way forward on this week’s most controversial issue by involving governments directly in the activities through an intergovernmental working group.
Developing Countries Blast WHO Report On IP, Demand “Credible” Approach 18/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 5 Comments A critical report on financing research and development of medicines for the world’s poorest was created without transparency, failed to live up to its mandate, and did not address the potential threat that intellectual property rights can pose to access to drugs, developing countries said today at the World Health Assembly. A proposal by a group of Latin American countries for a new intergovernmental working group was not accepted by developed countries and others and quick informal consultations began to work out differences before the end of the assembly this week.
EU Previews Digital Agenda To 2020 17/05/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Union today said half of its productivity gains since 1995 have come from information and communications technology (ICT), and gave some signals about its digital agenda to the year 2020, as part of a broader plan to be “launched shortly.” Europe remains the world’s biggest broadband market, the EU said, but must improve. […]