Gurry Re-Elected By Praiseful WIPO Membership; Some Ask For Transparent, Accountable Governance 08/05/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Some five minutes is all it took this morning for the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly to re-elect Francis Gurry at the head of WIPO for the next six years. All delegations taking the floor congratulated the director general and underlined the achievements under his current mandate. However, the matter of allegations by one of the WIPO deputy directors general is being investigated.
Could The WIPO General Assembly Reject Francis Gurry’s Nomination? 07/05/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments Tomorrow, World Intellectual Property Organization members decide whether to re-elect Francis Gurry as director general for another six years. The decision was complicated in recent weeks by detailed allegations of wrongdoing by Gurry put forward by Gurry’s deputy, raising questions about member states’ responsibility in investigating such claims.
EU’s Nagoya Protocol Ratification: How It Works 07/05/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The European Union Council of Ministers on 14 April adopted a decision approving the ratification of a protocol meant to facilitate access to genetic resources and to provide the fair sharing of commercial benefits with provider countries. The target date for ratification is July 2014, according to the EU.
A Brief Overview Of Current IP Issues At The WTO 05/05/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property issues may not be at the top of the post-Bali negotiations at the World Trade Organization, but there are many IP-related issues going on at the WTO. Below is an overview of some current and possible IP-related issues at the WTO.
UPOV Publishes List Of FAQs As Part Of Communications Strategy 05/05/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), an enigma organisation to some, has published a list of answers to frequently asked questions on its website.
UNCTAD Review Of Bangladesh Calls For Drug Market Opening 01/05/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An investment policy review undertaken by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) found that Bangladesh needs to attract foreign direct investment to sustain its development and suggests that the country loosen its grip on the pharmaceutical sector. Bangladesh said the review will be carefully considered.
What’s Next For Patent Trolls After US Supreme Court? More Risk, For Sure 30/04/2014 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Supreme Court yesterday issued two rulings that were bad news for patent assertion entities, or “patent trolls”. Thanks to these decisions, trolls and other patentees could be on the hook for millions in fees whenever they bring frivolous patent infringement suits.
Fordham IP Event A Firehose Of Current IP Legal, Policy Debates 28/04/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – The annual Fordham Law School IP Law and Policy Conference held last week offered an intensive two days of in-depth legal issues in intellectual property, with a mix of perspectives from representatives of intergovernmental organisations, governments, courts, industry, and a smattering of public interest advocates.
UN Climate Change Report Assesses Options For Technology And IP Policy 25/04/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments The latest United Nations report on climate change offers advice for international and national intellectual property policies relating to climate change mitigation technology. Although strong IP rights may foster green technology development and transfer in developed countries, there is a lack of evidence to support IP strengthening in developing countries, it concludes.
US, Japan Agree To “Inject New Momentum” Into TPP Talks 25/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Japan and the United States today announced their renewed commitment to an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The statement from the bilateral leaders’ meeting followed reports that bilateral talks toward the TPP were stalling. The White House statement reads: “The United States and Japan also coordinate closely in multilateral financial and economic fora to advance […]