WIPO Hails 2 Millionth International Patent Application 15/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In its slick new office building in Geneva, the World Intellectual Property Organization this week celebrated the 2 millionth patent filing under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, which it manages. In the foyer with white clad windows, a crowd was assembled to hear the praise of the international patent filing system.
Proposals For Single EU Patent Issued; Doubts About EU Patent Court Remain 13/04/2011 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Legislative proposals for a single European patent emerged from the European Commission this week. If approved by the European Parliament and Council, the measures will make patents granted in one country valid in all participating EU member states and drastically cut the cost of patent protection, the Commission said. Patent lawyers praised the proposals but said the issue of an EU-wide patent litigation court must be resolved first.
Preparing The World For Influenza Pandemic, Industry Role Key, Says WHO 12/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments An influenza pandemic is like the sword of Damocles over the world, and the recent H1N1 pandemic showed that the global response was inadequate, said the co-chairs of a World Health Organization group working on influenza pandemic preparedness meeting this week.
Superconductivity Is Celebrated This Year, Further Work Needed To Tame It 09/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A hundred years ago, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and his student Gilles Holst discovered a property that was to launch decades of fervent research to understand the phenomenon: Superconductivity. Today, researchers are still trying to find ways to use this remarkable property, but are celebrating the centenary of its discovery.
Study: Change Needed At Plant Varieties Agency; WTO Talks Food Standards 08/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new study has recommended changes at the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) in Geneva, which is seen as having an enormous impact on global agricultural research. Separately, World Trade Organization members recently discussed the trade impact of private standards for food.
Open Access Database Of Key HIV Patents Launched By Medicines Patent Pool 07/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Medicines Patent Pool, an initiative aiming at increasing access to HIV drugs through voluntary licences of patented drugs, has launched a new database of patent information on HIV medicines.
Financial Transaction Tax: A Resource For WHO Global Strategy And Plan of Action 07/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A recent European Parliament resolution on a European Financial Transaction Tax could represent an important resource for a WHO-led initiative to find sustainable financing for research into diseases afflicting poor populations.
Google Reluctantly Joins Patent Craze 04/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Internet giant Google today announced it is taking an “if-you-can’t-beat-’em, join ’em” attitude on patents and innovation by moving defensively to boost its patent portfolio.
A Special Day: WIPO’s Vision Gets A Little Fuzzy 01/04/2011 by Martin Frobisher for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In a surprise and fully uncorroborated development, it appears that World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry has been named a new contributor to an illustrious IP blog. The announcement came at the same time as news that WIPO will likely embark on wishing for an annual crackdown list of global IP blogs deemed to be inadequately living up to the highest levels of intellectual property protection and decorum.
FAO Seed Treaty Carries Hope, Addressing Country Contributions, Farmers Concerns 30/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Funding mechanisms and farmers’ rights were among the issues that captured the attention of member countries of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture during the biannual meeting of its Governing Body.