UK Proposes To Tighten IP Protections Online 06/07/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Kingdom Digital Economy Bill, floated this week, aims to “enable access to fast digital communication services for citizens and businesses, to enable investment in digital communications infrastructure, to shape the emerging digital world to the benefit of children, consumers and businesses, and to support the digital transformation of government, enabling the delivery of better public services, world leading research and better statistics,” the UK government said in the document.
US Industry Airs Hopes, Frustrations On IP Rights In India 05/07/2016 by Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment What do global innovators make of India’s new National Intellectual Property Rights Policy? A recent discussion on “India’s National IPR Strategy: A View from Global Innovators” in Washington DC attempted to assess the opportunities and challenges ahead from the perspective of American companies.
The Dutch & Pharma Policy: A Groundbreaking Presidency 05/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Netherlands’ Presidency of the European Council proved to be far from quiet in relation to pharmaceutical affairs. June 17 was the concluding Health Ministers Council (EPSCO) that signed off the most strongly-worded conclusions Brussels observers can recall. The meeting signaled the end of an overall successful and impactful Presidency in the highly sensitive field of medicines. The past semester has been eventful to say the least.
Trade Experts: Financing Not IP Slows Adoption Of Clean Energy Tech 04/07/2016 by Priti Patnaik for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Constraints on financing, restrictions on services and not so much access to technology emerged as one of the biggest challenges in the innovation, deployment and diffusion of clean energy technologies during an unusual session last week in Geneva which brought together climate scientists and trade policy wonks. Technologists and chemical engineers also came together to discuss how unlocking trade could help clean technologies in the context of the implementation of the Paris agreement on climate change.
New Book: Ways To Address CBD, Nagoya Protocol Hurdles For Public Research 04/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new book provides ways for public research to avoid legal battles over genetic resources in the fields of agriculture, biomedicine, environmental management and microbiology by making best use of an international protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing.
Access To Medicines Resolution Adopted By UN Human Rights Council 01/07/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments A resolution on access to medicines proposed by a number of developing countries was adopted today by the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as a resolution on enhancing capacity-building in public health. This marks yet another United Nations fora in which developing countries seek to raise the issue of access to medicines, particularly with regard to high prices.
WIPO Patent Law Committee Adopts Work Programme; Good Omen, Some Say 30/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members attending this week’s patent law committee meeting agreed on a work programme, reflecting divergent views on patents and health, exceptions and limitations, and patent quality.
European Music Industry Presses Brussels To Solve “Value Gap” From User Uploads 30/06/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments More than 1,000 recording artists and songwriters from Europe, and artists who regularly perform there, have urged the European Commission to stop the “value gap” created by user upload services such as Google’s YouTube from “siphoning value away” from the music community. Google, however, said digital services aren’t the problem, and that greater transparency on royalties is needed.
WIPO Treaty On Copyright Exceptions For Visually Impaired Enters In Force 30/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization treaty to facilitate access to books in special formats for visually impaired people will enter into effect, as the 20th member state acceded to the treaty today.
US Sees Weak African IP Protection, But Not Enough To Lose Unilateral Trade Benefits 30/06/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today (29 June) released its annual report on the eligibility of African nations for unilateral trade benefits offered by the US. While some countries were praised for progress on intellectual property protection, others were found to be weak in this area, but none were removed from eligibility for that reason. Overall, reporting on IP rights varied widely in the report.