WHO Experts To Narrow Health R&D Projects For Developing Countries At December Meeting 06/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Years-old efforts by members of the World Health Organization to come up with viable ways to boost research and development of medical products for diseases primarily affecting poor populations are coming to head, with a key meeting in December. That meeting of experts will be an opportunity to narrow down proposals being developed by the six WHO regional offices.
ITU Gets Involved In IP Protection 06/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has announced a workshop in Ukraine next year aimed at fighting counterfeit technology products, representing a notable foray into intellectual property rights protection by the UN agency.
Proposed WIPO Industrial Design Treaty Hung Up On Technical Assistance 04/11/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment It was clear at today’s opening of a World Intellectual Property Organization committee on industrial designs that developing countries were standing firm on their request to include mandatory technical assistance and capacity building in a potential procedural treaty aimed at facilitating international registration of this form of intellectual property right.
WIPO Extraordinary General Assembly To Meet On 10-12 December 04/11/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization has scheduled an Extraordinary General Assembly from 10-12 December, in order to complete unfinished work from the annual WIPO General Assembly in September.
UK Implements Copyright Term Extension From 50 to 70 Years 04/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The United Kingdom has announced the implementation of new rules that extend the term of copyright for sound recordings and performers rights in such recordings from 50 to 70 years.
Industry Groups Urge Congress To Boost Arsenal Against Patent Trolls 02/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A growing list of US industries has sent a letter to the leaders of the US House of Representatives and Senate judiciary committees urging them to combat patent assertion entities (PAEs), also known as patent trolls.
Flurry Of TPP Negotiating Meetings Underway 01/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement have undertaken an intensive series of negotiating meetings on specific topics over the coming month, ending with a meeting of chief negotiators and key experts in late November.
Industry Questions Canadian Courts’ Overturning Of Patents 31/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a new blog post, Michelle Wein, research analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, criticises a series of decisions by the Canadian courts overturning certain patents based on a re-evaluation of the usefulness criterion that a patent must meet. She argues that this trend reduces the effectiveness of the international patent system, inhibits innovation and reduces the distribution of life-saving medications.
USTR Froman: FTAs A Way To Get Higher IP Standards Into Global Trade “Bloodstream” 31/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Trade Representative Michael Froman today said that bilateral and regional agreements offer a way to get higher standards in areas such as intellectual property rights protection “into the bloodstream” of the global trading system, when it is not possible to do it through multilateral agreements.
New Trans-Pacific Partnership Caucus In US Congress 30/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments A new caucus of supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement under negotiation was launched yesterday in the US Congress.