Open Music Initiative: Seeking To Drive The Beat On Global Standards, Rights Attribution 28/11/2018 by David Branigan, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment NEW YORK – The Open Music Initiative provides a forum for collaboration across academic, tech and music industry stakeholders around the world, and is working to develop the global standards for music rights attribution that could stand for the next 100 years. Establishing such standards will enable fair compensation to rights holders and creators, and establish a basis for ongoing innovation in the music industry, leading to new digital platforms and services, and new music, according to Open Music members.
The Bumpy Road To Selection Patents In India 19/11/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Namrata Chadha, of K&S Partners, a Tier 1 Indian law firm, discusses various crucial aspects relating to patenting of selection inventions in India, especially in pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Summary: The patenting of selection inventions is not plain sailing in India. The patentability of such inventions must be determined in accordance with the general provisions of the Indian Patents Act, as there is no separate provision for the same in the Act. Of the said general provisions, the assessment of inventive step and testing under section 3(d) of the Indian Patents Act can be perceived as the most critical to patentability of selected novel species. Additionally, the concepts of ‘implicit disclosure’ and the contrasting views on ‘coverage vs disclosure’ frequently makes it challenging for applicants to defend their novel selection under the Indian scenario. Given the lack of enough precedents in India on this aspect, to date the fate of selection patents depends mostly on the judgement of the patent controllers. Not all hope is lost, however, since not only the Indian Patent Office, but also the IPAB and higher Courts have time-and-again acknowledged the existence of selection patents in India.
A Look At The Proposed EU IP Exception To Promote Generic, Biosimilar Industry Competitiveness 16/11/2018 by David Branigan, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission has proposed an exception to the extended period of patent protection that the European Union provides to original drug manufacturers for certain products, in order to boost the competitiveness of EU generic and biosimilar industries in global markets. The exception will allow EU generic and biosimilar companies to manufacture protected drugs for export during this patent extension period. Stakeholders are so far unhappy with the exception. Meanwhile, studies analyse its potential economic impacts and legal implications, and the Commission remains confident that safeguards it is putting in place will keep the lower-priced medicines from making their way back into the EU.
China’s Xi Jinping Signals Higher Focus On IP, Market Opening To Ease US-Sino Tensions, But Global Leadership Friction In Innovation To Persist 15/11/2018 by John Zarocostas for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment SHANGHAI, China — The President of China, Xi Jinping, in a keynote address on 5 November to political and business leaders attending the opening of the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai sent a strong diplomatic signal that Beijing will push ahead with further opening up of the economy to more international competition. In a move to try and ease US-Sino tensions Xi also indicated China will take proactive steps to boost protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs), including harsher penalties against violators – a major grievance for the United States and the pivotal issue in the escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Global Biotech Industry Revisits Geneva, Seeks To Build Relationships To Help Shape Policies 14/11/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A global association representing biotechnology industries last week made a second annual visit to Geneva’s institutions to raise awareness of how the industry works, its needs, and how the association could participate better in policymaking. Dismissing fears of industry unduly influencing public policies, two representatives of the association sat down with Intellectual Property Watch’s Catherine Saez to explain the importance of biotechnology in solving the problems of the world, and the need to raise awareness of the perspective of the biotechnology sector.
Experts Assess Coming Changes In US Courts And Patentability 09/11/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments NEW YORK — A panel of legal and government experts this week discussed trends in courts in the United States on patent cases and changes underway at the US Patent and Trademark Office. One conclusion? There may be a real shift in what is seen as patentable in the US, but it may take an act of Congress. [Note: part 1 of 2. The second part will address this week’s changes in the US Congress.]
El mecanismo mundial multilateral de participación en los beneficios: ¿Dónde será el Bretton Woods del Siglo XXI? 05/11/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Bretton Woods es el nombre de un lugar y también de un sistema. El lugar, Bretton Woods, cuenta con el Hotel Mount Washington y vistas majestuosas de las Montañas Blancas de New Hampshire. El sistema Bretton Woods es el conjunto de normas financieras elaboradas durante una conferencia en dicho hotel que se realizó en julio de 1944 [1]. El sistema creó un orden monetario y permitió la recuperación económica en los años de la posguerra. Para los economistas, Bretton Woods representa al sistema. El éxito del mismo demuestra cómo el pensamiento económico puede penetrar la esfera política y realizar un cambio duradero. John Maynard Keynes, el Darwin de la Economía, encabezó la delegación británica.
No se trata solo de lo material: “El camino a seguir” para el CDB de la ONU, el PN y Half-Earth (mitad de la Tierra) 05/11/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment ¿Es la información “algo” o es “sobre algo”? Esa es esencialmente la pregunta ante la Decimocuarta Conferencia de las Partes (COP) del Convenio de las Naciones Unidas sobre la Diversidad Biológica de 1992 (CBD) que se reunirá del 19 hasta el 27 de noviembre del 2018. La pregunta es de 64 mil millones de dólares. La respuesta podría determinar la modalidad para el “acceso a recursos genéticos“ y una “distribución justa y equitativa de los beneficios” (ABS, por sus siglas en inglés), que es el tercer objetivo plasmado en el CDB. De ser la información transmitida en la vida “algo“ en sí y no “sobre algo”, los beneficios podrían ser mayores por órdenes de magnitud. Dicho de otro modo, los usuarios de recursos genéticos ¿están accediendo a información? o ¿están accediendo a materia, cuyas propiedades están esparcidas entre organismos y jurisdicciones? Si la la respuesta es “información”, se justifica un pago anual de decenas de miles de millones de dólares. En cambio, si la respuesta es “propiedades” justifica las “migajas“que se pagan actualmente.
Lurking In USMCA – IP Provisions With An International Agenda 30/10/2018 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Donald Trump is no fan of international norms or rules. He’s made this clear on numerous occasions, including during his two speeches at the United Nations. It is surprising, therefore, that one of the few international deals he has made as president – the recently announced treaty replacing NAFTA – contains IP provisions whose main purposes seem to be extending US rules overseas and establishing IP norms for future international agreements.
Interview With Catherine Chammartin, Director General Of The Swiss Federal Institute Of Intellectual Property 29/10/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Catherine Chammartin is the Director of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). A former specialist in international tax policy, she took office at IPI in November 2015. In an exclusive interview with Intellectual Property Watch’s Catherine Saez, she explained the priorities of the office under her leadership, and the office’s contribution to the success of Switzerland’s innovation record.