WIPO Shows Record Growth Across International IP Filing Systems 13/03/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch and Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment “Intellectual property, in general, is in a growth mode, and in a growth mode which is considerably in excess of either the national GDP growth rates or the world GDP growth rates,” World Intellectual Property Organisation Director General Francis Gurry said today.
EU Unified Patent Court Judicial Training Centre Launches 13/03/2014 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Union Unified Patent Court agreement has not yet been fully ratified but plans are on track to ensure that the judges who staff it are of the highest quality, speakers said at today’s opening ceremony for the judicial training centre in Budapest, Hungary. Future UPC users still have some concerns about the new system, but are giving it a generally good reception, the chairman of the UPC Preparatory Committee said.
Book Challenges ‘Neoliberal’ Approach In Global Public Health Policy 12/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent book by a UK journalist and lecturer illustrates that recent reforms in global public health policy have ignored public health needs in favour of market-based ideologies.
Design Treaty, Country Names, Geographical Indications Next Week At WIPO 12/03/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on trademarks will address three main issues next week. Among them, delegates will look to advance a draft treaty facilitating the international registration of industrial designs, and try to agree on how to address technical assistance in that draft treaty. In addition, the United States has a proposal to invite into the committee discussions on a proposed revision of the Lisbon Agreement on the Protection of Appellations of Origins, and Jamaica is pursuing its effort at a stronger international soft law for the protection of country names against use as trademarks.
WTO-WIPO IP Training Course For Governments 12/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization are jointly offering a course this week on all aspects of intellectual property to a group of officials from developing countries and countries in transition, the WTO has said.
Final UN Report On Right To Food Calls For Redesign Of World Food System 10/03/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a final report before the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) today, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food called for a redesigned world food system to ensure the human right to adequate food and freedom from hunger. This includes some changes to the way intellectual property rights apply to food and agriculture.
New Constitutions Of Egypt, Tunisia Provide For IP Rights Protection For First Time 10/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Last January, Egypt and Tunisia enacted new constitutions which provide for the protection of intellectual property rights, at the constitutional level, for the first time in the history of both countries. In addition, they include clauses which give priority to building a knowledge economy, Ahmed Abdel-Latif writes.
Patents Not Best To Protect Traditional Medical Knowledge, Author Says 07/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Traditional medical knowledge would be best protected through liability rules instead of patents, according to a book exploring the applicability of intellectual property rights to traditional medical knowledge protection, and in particular if IP rights are suitable to promote the goals of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Automated Cars – And Regulations – At The Geneva Motor Show 07/03/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Among the Ferraris, Maseratis and Lamborghinis in Geneva this week, high-level representatives of the auto industry, the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) discussed issues of safety, data sharing and standardisation.
WHO Draft Guidelines On Sugars Intake 07/03/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization (WHO) has published draft guidelines on sugars intake to reduce non-communicable diseases linked to obesity and dental caries.