US State Dept. Funds 12 IP Protection Projects Worldwide 25/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Department of State has announced its approval of 12 anti-crime projects around the world aimed at intellectual property protection.
Book Offers Timely Insights On IP, Drugs And Public Health In Developing Countries 25/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent book comes in time for the international policy debates coming to a head over access to medicines, intellectual property rights and public health in developing countries.
Global Internet Conference Opens With An Air Of Possibility 24/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Maintaining openness and promoting access were two major themes that emerged during the Global INET conference opening session yesterday. A panel of key internet actors gave their perspectives on the past, present and future of the internet, in line with the conference theme, “Meeting at the Crossroads: Imagining the Future of the Internet.”
“Entrenched Anti-Consumer Bias” Found In Copyright Laws; Creators Launch Petition For Better Contracts 23/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A major consumer group today released the results of its annual survey of 30 countries’ copyright laws and concluded that bias against consumers in favour of multinational copyright holders is “entrenched” and that there is a “global outcry” about overly strong copyright enforcement legislation. Meanwhile, international journalists groups joined songwriters, composers, film directors, screenwriters, illustrators, photographers and visual authors across Europe today to launch a public campaign “to bring an end to the unfair contractual practices facing creators.”
Text Of Kenya Judgment On Anti-Counterfeiting Now Available 23/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A copy of a key judgment by the High Court of Kenya last week that found a national anti-counterfeiting law was overly broad and might interfere with access to generic medicines is now available on Intellectual Property Watch.
Internet Visionaries Convene In Geneva To Discuss Future Of The Web 22/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 2012 Global INET Forum is uniting some of the architects and builders behind the internet with the industry leaders and policymakers who are shaping it today in an event taking place in Geneva from 22-24 April.
Frustrations Show At Slow Progress On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge at WIPO 21/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments At the close of a WIPO meeting to advance a text to become a potential treaty to protect traditional knowledge, some countries found that the results of the session were somewhat disappointing, although some progress had been achieved.
Kenyan High Court’s Overturning Of Anti-Counterfeit Law Hailed 21/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The High Court of Kenya yesterday ruled that the country’s 2008 Anti-Counterfeit Act was too broad and could interfere with the flow of legal generic medicines to patients, leading the UNAIDS organisation to issue a statement praising the decision. It also said intellectual property rights are not more important than life and health, according to UNAIDS.
The WHO’s Final Sprint Toward An International Convention On R&D 20/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An international convention on research and development for neglected diseases has never been so closely within reach. A World Health Organization expert group is recommending the implementation of a legally binding instrument to secure new sources of funding to spur health research in areas where the current system has failed.
US Government Re-Issues Call For Bids To Manage Internet Root Zone 18/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Monday re-issued a request for proposals to manage the sensitive IANA contract. IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority function, includes the management of the central root zone of the internet domain name system, the allocation of internet protocol addresses to the Regional Internet Registries and other core parts of the internet infrastructure.