WTO: Antigua Has New Idea For Gambling Case; Cuba Rails Against US Trademark 01/09/2014 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments In a longstanding World Trade Organization dispute about measures affecting the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services, Antigua and Barbuda has made a new proposal to the United States on a way to solve the issue of the US not complying with a WTO ruling it lost. And in a separate matter at the same WTO meeting last week, Cuba referred to the US failure to change a law barring a rum trademark in the context of railing against US policy of “economic suffocation” of the island nation.
Industry Applauds Marti Nomination As US IP Enforcement Coordinator 01/09/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The US IP industry is applauding the nomination of trademark attorney Daniel Marti to be the next US Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.
UN Inspectors Find Need For Transparency, Changes In Governance At WIPO 28/08/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The United Nations Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) has issued a substantive analysis of management and administration in the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. And while the report highlights significant progress in a number of areas, it offers a list of ways WIPO can do better – including on transparency and sorting out staff concerns and strengthening member state oversight.
Legal Analysis Of CJEU Hearing On Spain’s Case Against Unitary Patent 05/08/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new legal analysis looks at the 1 July oral hearing of the European Court of Justice (CJEU) on Spain’s nullity actions against the regulations on the “unitary patent” and its language regime.
Abundance Of Latin American Candidates For Senior WIPO Post 25/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment It has been said among some member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization that the next deputy director general responsible for development should come from the Latin American and Caribbean region. If that is the case, a look at some senior officials in Geneva from the region shows a significant pool of available talent from which to draw.
At WTO, Nations Blast US For Continued Failure To Fix Havana Club Dispute 22/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Since that fateful night in 1998 when former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms slipped a provision on behalf of US rum-maker Bacardi into an appropriations bill blocking a Cuban-French company from using the Havana Club trademark in the US, it was expected the provision would eventually be overturned.
Can The Dot Pharmacy New Generic Domain Be Impartial? 21/07/2014 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments New generic top-level domain names seem set to be a constant source of discussions and dissension. The domain “.pharmacy” has been awarded to a United States pharmacy association with industry backing, stirring concerns among civil society and others. But the association insists it will work in an impartial manner to ensure safety of online pharmaceutical sales.
Medicines Patent Pool Signs 7 New Sub-Licences For Generic HIV Drugs 18/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Medicines Patent Pool has announced seven new sub-licensing agreements to produce generic HIV medicines in order to make more affordable versions available to developing countries.
EU Commissioner Hails Open Knowledge, Urges Copyright Reform 17/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, today hailed open knowledge in government, science, the internet, and education, and called again for “urgent reform” of copyright.
BRICS Urged To Create New Model Of Internet Governance 16/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments As the governments of the largest emerging economies gather this week in Brazil, a civil society coalition has issued a call for them to lead change in the global system of internet governance in light of revelations of mass surveillance. The groups provide suggestions for constructing a system that ensures human rights, equity and social justice for all people.