Maurits Lugard on Creating a More Effective Patent System 08/08/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The debate over the future of the European patent system was rekindled at a July hearing at the European Commission in Brussels. Maurits Lugard is a Brussels-based attorney representing small and large companies, including Microsoft, as legal counsel to the Association for Competitive Technology. He offered his view in favor of a stronger and more […]
A Look At The EPO Project On The Future Of Intellectual Property 28/07/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Patent Office (EPO) with its centralised patent grant system was established in 1973. The EPO has 31 member states and comprises a legislative body, the administrative council, and its Munich-based executive office. The EPO has addressed its concerns about the future of the intellectual property system by launching a major study of the […]
India, Brazil Explain Need For TRIPS Biodiversity Amendment; Plus Interview With Alan Oxley 22/06/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment India, Brazil and other countries are calling for an amendment to the 1994 World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) [WTO document WT/GC/W/564Rev.1] to help countries to better protect their biological resources and traditional knowledge that appear in patent applications. The proposal for a TRIPS Article 29bis is under debate […]
William Steiger, Lead Of US Delegation To World Health Assembly 26/05/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 59th World Health Assembly, taking place from 22-27 May followed by a meeting of the World Health Organization Executive Board, is addressing three resolutions related to intellectual property rights. These include a proposal to establish a working group to develop a plan of action for research into diseases disproportionately affecting poor countries, and a […]
WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Contains Unsupported Webcasting and “Digital Locks” 01/05/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Robin Gross, IP Justice From 1-5 May 2006, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) will hold its 14th Session in Geneva to determine the fate of the controversial Broadcasting Treaty. In its final meeting before the General Assembly votes this autumn to send the proposed Broadcasting […]
Interview with Yochai Benkler, Yale Law School 27/04/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Yochai Benkler is a law professor at Yale Law School. He helped host a well-attended conference on Access to Knowledge held 21-23 April at Yale. Benkler focuses on the effect of laws on flows of information and knowledge in the digital environment, and has published a new book on knowledge commons called The Wealth of […]
Interview with Graham Dutfield, Queen Mary College of the University of London 27/04/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Graham Dutfield is a legal researcher at the Queen Mary College of the University of London. He is a supporter of traditional knowledge protection and a critic of the anti-development and anti-consumer orientation of current trends in intellectual property rule-making. He sat down with Intellectual Property Watch during the 24-28 April meeting on these issues […]
Interview with Michael Ryan, Director, Creative and Innovative Economy Center 31/03/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The Creative and Innovative Economy Center was launched on 1 January at George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. Intellectual Property Watch sat down with Director Michael Ryan recently to discuss his views on industry and development, the project, its funding, and how it plans to influence policy in developing countries. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WATCH […]
Interview with Geoffrey Yu, Deputy Director General WIPO 24/03/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the Expert Views column: Intellectual Property Watch sat down recently with Geoffrey Yu, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to discuss the development agenda, technical assistance and relations with non-governmental organisations. Yu is responsible for the economic development sector, which oversees the current negotiations for a WIPO development agenda. INTELLECTUAL […]
Interview With WIPO Deputy Director General Rita Hayes 10/10/2005 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Member governments of the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation at their 26 September to 5 October General Assemblies agreed on a way to proceed with negotiations for a treaty on broadcasters’ rights. They will prepare a “basic proposal,” or draft negotiating text, during 2006 with an eye toward holding a high-level negotiation, known as a […]