Monthly News In Brief 13/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment WHO Paper Examines TRIPS Flexibilities The final version of a study entitled “The use of flexibilities in TRIPS by developing countries: can they promote access to medicines?” is now available online at: http://who.int/intellectualproperty/studies/TRIPS_flexibilities/en/index.html The study was conducted by Sisule Musungu of the South Centre and Cecilia Oh of the World Health Organisation, and commissioned by […]
US-Peru Deal Includes First-Ever Traditional Knowledge Provisions 09/12/2005 by Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch Washington, DC-In a bilateral free-trade agreement struck this week with Peru, the United States for the first time agreed to language relating to traditional knowledge, according to a Peruvian government source. The language, which appears in a side letter to the overall agreement, apparently stresses the importance of […]
Peru’s Acceptance Of IP Terms Led To Trade Pact With US 09/12/2005 by Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch Washington, DC–An agreement by Peru to accept United States demands on protecting intellectual property rights, including protections for pharmaceutical test data found in other US free trade agreements, paved the way for a final deal on a US-Peru free trade pact. US Trade Representative Rob Portman and Peruvian […]
Latest Hong Kong Ministerial Draft Reflects TRIPS Health Decision 08/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The new draft declaration for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Hong Kong next week has been updated to reflect the 6 December decision to amend international intellectual property trade law for public health reasons. WTO members amended the 1994 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The amendment will make it […]
TRIPS Health Amendment Evokes Harsh NGO Reaction, Industry Caution 07/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An amendment to a World Trade Organization agreement for public health purposes was harshly criticised by non-governmental organisations and greeted with caution by the pharmaceutical industry. NGOs said the access-to-medicines deal that was reached by WTO members on 6 December was hastily agreed and would make permanent a flawed agreement. It would make “access to […]
WTO Strikes Agreement On TRIPS And Public Health On Eve Of Ministerial 06/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Trade Organization today adopted a permanent amendment to international trade law that will make it easier for poor countries exposed to health emergencies to import cheaper generic versions of patented medicines if they are not able to produce these themselves. The WTO General Council adopted the proposal immediately after a short meeting of […]
External Opposition Rises To TRIPS And Public Health Deal 06/12/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As negotiators at the World Trade Organization gather Tuesday to try to agree on a waiver to intellectual property trade rules for public health purposes, an increasing number of non-negotiators are telling them to wait out of concern for the negative impact of the waiver. At issue is a mandated amendment to the WTO Agreement […]
African Countries Ready To Accept TRIPS And Public Health Deal 06/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment African countries seem to back a World Trade Organization proposal that would permanently incorporate into international trade law a waiver that has been in place since 2003 to help poor countries import cheaper medicines, but which for various reasons has never been used. The proposal was discussed at a 5 December meeting where delegates said […]
TRIPS And Public Health Agreement Appears To Be In Sight 05/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After years of consultations over a draft provision aimed at making it legal for smaller economies to import cheaper generics under international trade laws, a solution may be reached in the rush before the 13-18 December World Trade Organization ministerial in Hong Kong. Over the weekend delegations met in informal sessions (meaning that the issue […]
December/January Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Available 02/12/2005 by Silja Halle for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A note to our readers: The December/January edition of Intellectual Property Watch’s Monthly Reporter is available on our website. The monthly publication, available online and in hard copy every month, features an updated compilation of top stories appearing on the IP-Watch Website (www.ip-watch.org). Click here to read the December/January edition. Spanish and French translations of […]