South Africa: TK Legislation In The New Tradition 06/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments “Ex Africa semper aliquid novi”, which can be freely translated from Latin to mean “there is always something new coming out of Africa,” said Pliny, the ancient Roman writer and scholar. Presumably then, as is the case now, the concept of “new” included an expression of sarcasm and deprecation as in “absurd, nonsensical and ridiculous.” Well, Pliny has been proved right once again, writes Prof. Owen Dean.
Parliament Committee Urges EU Commission To Support Print Disabilities Treaty 05/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Parliament’s Petitions Committee this week issued a call for a binding treaty allowing persons with print disabilities to make accessible copies of published works and to send them across borders.
Nagoya Protocol On Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Has 64 Signatories 04/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The UN agreement struck last year to bolster access and benefit-sharing related to biodiversity has been gaining signatures rapidly and may on its way to an early approval, according to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity secretariat. However, while countries are signing, not one has yet had a chance to ratify it.
As Bilateral Trade Deals Proceed, WIPO Hears Warnings, Calls For Change 04/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment As some developed countries prepared to ink a secret plurilateral trade agreement against rampant global piracy and counterfeiting in recent days, leading emerging economies and non-governmental groups warned the World Intellectual Property Organization that such outside agreements need to respect broader societal impacts of IP rights enforcement or risk abuses of international rules on trade and development.
White & Case Expanding WTO Practice In Geneva 03/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment White & Case law firm is looking to hire two lawyers for its World Trade Organization (WTO) practice in Geneva, to work on trade areas including intellectual property rights.
A Response From The Authors Of The Health Impact Fund 03/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In reaction to the recent IP-Watch Inside Views post “Health Impact Fund – Raising Issues of Distribution, IP Rights and Alliances,” by Sakiko Fukuda-Parr and Proochista Ariana, the authors offer a response on behalf of Incentives for Global Health (IGH), the non-profit organization that is developing the Health Impact Fund (HIF) proposal.
Proposal For New UN Internet Governance Body Meets Resistance 03/10/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A proposal for a new United Nations body for internet governance oversight did not please the majority of delegates, be it from governments, private sector or civil society, at the sixth Internet Governance Forum in Nairobi last week. But while India and Brazil sought to defend their proposal, forum stakeholders were unable to move to reshape the annual event.
Clear The Way For SMEs: Lessons From Nairobi 30/09/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Penye nia, pana njia. A Swahili proverb for “when there’s a will, there’s a way,” this might well be the motto for innovative entrepreneurs the world over. Whether they’re based in Nairobi, Brussels or Silicon Valley, what matters the most to entrepreneurs is the success of their businesses. Of course, what’s “in the way” of that success can vary considerably, writes Jonathan Zuck.
In Boost To Multilateral System And WIPO, Audiovisual Treaty Set For 2012 Completion 30/09/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members yesterday agreed to attempt completion in 2012 of long-stalled negotiations on a treaty giving clearer protection to the rights of actors and others performing in audiovisual productions. The breakthrough is being seen as good for the multilateral system and, if successfully concluded, for actors and others in developing countries.
Internet Governance Forum Faces Challenges As UN Hears Proposals For New Bodies 27/09/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations-led Internet Governance Forum is in its usual dialogue-only mode again this week as it meets in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. But it is facing huge challenges at the beginning of its second five-year mandate.