Panel At WTO Discusses Competition Policy And Why It Matters To Trade 02/10/2016 by Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Competition policy has evolved along with globalization and trade in past years. Now there are challenges such as the growth in international trade transactions and rapidly increasing cross-border mergers and antitrust cases. In parallel, the proliferation of competition policies and system has created potential of conflict of jurisdiction. Experts on competition and trade policies came together during the World Trade Organization Public Forum last week to discuss what the WTO can do and how better coordination between the competition policy and trade policy can be achieved to support growth and inclusiveness.
Last Formal Tie To Historic US Internet Control Is Cut 01/10/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment “The federal court in Galveston, Texas denied the plaintiffs’ application for declaratory and injunctive relief. As of 1 October 2016, the IANA functions contract has expired.” This two-sentence statement from Assistant US Commerce Secretary for Communications and Information and National Telecommunication and Information Administration Administrator Lawrence Strickling ended an era of direct United States oversight over changes to the authoritative root zone of the internet domain name system, and as a contractor for a set of core internet databases.
US Supreme Court To Decide If USPTO Refusal To Register Trademarks Breaches Free Speech 30/09/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The US Supreme Court agreed on 29 September to take up the question of whether the Lanham Act, which allows the US Patent and Trademark Office to refuse to register disparaging trademarks, conflicts with the First Amendment right to free speech.
Clinical Trial Reporting Biased; Full Disclosure, Transparency Needed, Speakers Say 30/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A conference on clinical drug trials held today shed a harsh light on the availability and honesty of clinical trial reports. Many factors concur to possible distortion of results, speakers said, calling for more stringent obligations to provide all data for analysis. They also noted legislative efforts to tackle the issue. Speakers also pointed out a growing trend for pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in developing countries.
Gurry Speaks On Allegations For First Time As WIPO Members Discuss Actions 30/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Heading into next week’s annual UN World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies, WIPO member states are considering a report from the United Nations investigations office regarding allegations of wrongdoing made involving WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. And for first time since the allegations arose, Gurry has offered his defence. Spoiler alert: he neither confirmed nor denied it but raised questions about the legality of sharing the report with member states.
Developing Countries Should Be Able To Shield Their Markets From Cheap Food Imports, Panel Says 30/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the temple of international trade and globalisation, a group of speakers called for developing countries to protect themselves against dumping of food products from developed countries.
Voluntary Sustainability Standards: Virtue Enhancers Or Trade Discriminatory? 30/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Voluntary standards are seen by some as acting as barriers to trade, in particular for developing countries unable to meet the requirements of those private standards. At the World Trade Organization Public Forum, two panels presented two approaches, one looking at governments’ role in voluntary sustainability standards, and launching a report by a multi-agency United Nations initiative on those standards. The other one focused on the challenges private standards can represent for developing countries.
Time To Talk Digital Issues At WTO With Focus On Developing Countries, Forum Hears 30/09/2016 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Now is the time for those who want to bring new voices to the digital trade and general trade debate involving the World Trade Organization, says an adviser to a leading security think tank in Switzerland.
Skepticism On Global Trade Arises Even As ‘Potential Exists To Expand Commerce Internationally’ 30/09/2016 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A lot of skepticism about global trade has arisen just at a time when there is the potential to involve large swaths of the population who were previously not able to access the international exchange of commerce.
UN Panel Report On Access To Medicines Seen As Holding Potential For Change 29/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – Speakers at a side event to the United Nations General Assembly last week commended a new report on access to medicines prepared by a high-level panel hand-chosen by the UN secretary general as containing fresh ideas and the potential to bring change to a longstanding problem.