Growing Music Streaming Industry Leaves Performers By The Wayside, Speakers Say 05/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment There is growing worry and resentment among music performers around the world about the low level of their remuneration and the fact that they are mostly missing their share of the internet music streaming pie, according to speakers at an event held at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week. Performers need a change in international rules, in particular a right to remuneration, they said.
Interplay Between Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs) And ITC Section 337 Proceedings 05/05/2017 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Since the passage of the America Invents Act (“AIA”) in 2011, Inter Partes Reviews (“IPRs”) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) have assumed growing importance in patent litigation in federal district courts. Until recently, IPRs have not played a significant role in International Trade Commission (“ITC”) Section 337 investigations. While the ITC is unlikely to stay a Section 337 investigation, pending IPRs will likely have an increasing impact at the ITC, especially when an IPR proceeding reaches an advanced stage before or during the pendency of a Section 337 investigation. This article examines the limited interplay to date between IPRs and Section 337 proceedings and discusses potential implications for future investigations.
Paper: National Laws, UPOV, Should Be Revised To Ensure Farmers Rights 05/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The right of farmers to use, exchange and sell farm-saved seeds should be ensured through national laws and a revision of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), so the objectives of another United Nations international treaty on plant genetic resources can be fulfilled, a recent research paper states.
Plain Packaging For Tobacco Products: WTO Dispute Settlement Body Allegedly Backs Australia 05/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments According to many media this morning, citing anonymous sources, the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body has reached a decision in a dispute challenging Australia’s tobacco product plain packaging law. Australia appears to have won the case. The WTO is non-committal and says only a “confidential interim report” has been circulated. Australia is not commenting.
WIPO Promotes IP Flexibilities Database 05/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The UN World Intellectual Property Organization this week promoted a database it has developed containing a collection of flexibilities to IP laws in countries around the world.
WHO Members Urged To Support Resolution Delinking Cancer Drug Prices From R&D Costs 04/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments A group of civil society organisations and health experts have sent a letter to delegates to this month’s annual World Health Assembly urging support for a study on the delinkage of the costs of research and development from the prices of cancer medicines. Member states reportedly met on the issue today and are still undecided.
WHO Project To Prequalify Biosimilar Cancer Medicines Aims At Increased Affordability 04/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization announced today that it will launch a pilot project in 2017 for prequalifying cancer biosimilar medicines, with the intent of lowering prices on some of the most expensive cancer treatments.
YouTube And Others Hide Behind Safe Harbours, Bigger Threat Than Piracy, Music Industry Tells WIPO 04/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments If piracy is still very much a concern of the music industry, the growing shadow of free online streaming platforms, in particular YouTube, has now become a bigger stinger, according to speakers from the industry at an event at the World Intellectual Property Organization on 2 May. Hiding behind safe harbour legislations originally designed to protect internet service providers from being responsible for unlawful downloading by users, YouTube and other such platforms are threatening the industry and the artists, they said.
New Open Source Project Enlists Students To Find Cures For Neglected Diseases 03/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has launched a collaborative project with five universities in India, United Kingdom, and the United States to help with the research on a debilitating neglected disease.
New Text On Broadcasting May Open Way To Fresh Discussions On Treaty At WIPO 03/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Years of discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organization on a treaty protecting broadcasting organisations against piracy of their signals have not been enough to reach consensus language on core principles, such as who and what to protect, and what kind of rights should be granted. This week the newly appointed committee chair suggested that an informal text prepared by the previous chair be made a formal document to serve as a basis for further textual discussions.