WHO Performance Undermined By Inadequate EU Collaboration 23/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Though the WHO is among the recipients of EU contributions, support should be scaled up now that the WHO fears program cuts because of a persistent funding crisis. Revenues from a Financial Transaction Tax would be a resource for the EU to partly allocate for WHO needs, writes Daniele Dionisio.
Polish Ministry Plans IP Reform – To Shift Rights From Universities To Researchers 22/10/2013 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Barbara Kudrycka has announced plans to modify Poland’s intellectual property law by providing scientists with property rights to the results of their research.
Bali IGF: Surveillance, Human Rights, Governance Of Internet Resources, “Multistakeholderism” 21/10/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The revelations of mass surveillance by the US and other intelligence services are expected to considerably influence the 8th Internet Governance Forum in Bali, Indonesia this week.
UNDP Study Calls On South Africa To Use TRIPS Flexibilities For Medicines Access 18/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A newly published study from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) outlines significant problems in accessing medicines in South Africa – which is said to have the highest number of people living with HIV in the world – and urges its government to use available tools under international trade law such as exceptions to patents on needed medicines.
New EU Customs Regulation Might Allow Wrongful Seizures Of Generic Drugs In Transit, NGOs Say 17/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A recent European Union regulation on customs enforcement of intellectual property rights has raised concerns among civil society actors who find that the regulation might not be an improvement over its previous version under which seizure of legal generic medicines in transit occurred a few years ago, leading to a World Trade Organization dispute.
IP Scores High In Sports – Supports Amateurs, Olympics, Development, Speakers Say 16/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Alongside last week’s meeting of the World Trade Organization intellectual property committee, the United States, European Union and Jamaica organised an event on the relevance of intellectual property in sports. Speakers from professional organisations such as the International Olympic Committee, the Association of European Professional Football Leagues, and the Nike company were invited to share their experience in the matter.
UN Economic Commission For Europe Tackles Innovation In The Public Sector 16/10/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Innovation experts participating in a two-day seminar at the United Nations in Geneva last week highlighted the complexities as well as the potential benefits linked to the promotion of innovative practices in public administrations at the national, regional and local levels.
WTO: Tobacco Plain-Packaging Battle Flares Up; Sports And IP Issues Take The Field 14/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization intellectual property committee last week agreed on a draft decision on disputes that are not in direct violation of WTO IP rules but where one country’s measures negatively affect another country’s expected benefits. Plain packaging for tobacco products was also discussed as Ireland is preparing to introduce such a measure meant to discourage tobacco use, and some countries presented their views on the importance of IP rights in sports.
Green Innovations, Owned By Developed Countries, Tied Up In Patents, Expert Says 14/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Climate change calls for new technologies to face its consequences, governments agree. But research and development efforts are mainly conducted by the private sector in developed countries and are patent-protected, which is doing little to diffuse the technologies in developing countries, said a lecturer in Geneva this week.
WHO Fine-Tuning Pandemic Flu Preparedness Strategy, Use Of Industry Contributions 11/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization is putting the finishing touches on an implementation plan for industry’s financial participation in the global influenza preparedness strategy. This week the advisory group met to discuss a draft plan presented by the WHO secretariat, which should now come up with a revised version for implementation in early 2014, according to the chair of the advisory group.