US Govt Economic Report: Patent Reform Will Boost Jobs 21/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Patent reform in America will spur high-paying job creation and economic growth, claims a new paper by senior economic officials at the US Department of Commerce and the US Patent and Trademark Office. Issued as the US Congress weighs patent legislation, the report found reform could reduce patent pendency by 40 percent. This is important, […]
Official ACTA Text Released 21/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A prepared-for-the-public version of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement under negotiation by leading economies has now been released online. The release comes after increased public and civil society outcry over a non-transparent negotiating process and fears that the treaty would lead to the introduction of stricter intellectual property enforcement laws in signatory countries. The text can […]
Geneva Health Forum Addresses Biotech, Trade, Pandemic Flu 21/04/2010 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Biotechnology, international trade, and pandemic influenza were among the topics discussed at the outset of this year’s Geneva Health Forum.
Geneva Events Address Public Health Solutions For Developing Countries 20/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Public health authorities and observers in Geneva this week are discussing problems and possible solutions to medicines pricing and availability in developing countries. But concerns were raised yesterday about a World Health Organization expert group on medicines access and innovation.
Open Source Company Alleges IBM Antitrust; IBM Requests Analysis 20/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Computer giant IBM is facing an antitrust claim before the European Commission brought by an open source software company alleging that IBM is preventing customers from using that software. Meanwhile, the open source community is worried that the use of intellectual property rights by IBM – a leading open source software maker – to block a competitor will endanger free and open source software and might uncap other IP rights claims from other players. IBM, for its part, is reaffirming its support to open source community and has asked the competing company to explain how its software does not infringe on IBM IP rights.
Negotiators: ACTA Text To Be Public This Week 19/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch ACTA will be public. During the eighth round of negotiations for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in Wellington, New Zealand that ended Friday, the negotiating countries decided to give in to persistent calls for greater transparency.
WIPO, WTO Requested To Advise On Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Several members of the European Parliament today sent letters to the directors general of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization requesting technical assistance in the negotiation of an agreement that some are calling an attempt to circumvent global norms on intellectual property enforcement and related public interest flexibility.
Committee Examines Undue Influence, Coordination In WHO Pandemic Flu Response 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A review of the World Health Organization’s response to the 2009 pandemic influenza outbreak kicked off this week, with firm statements from those involved in the response that they were not unduly influenced by outside stakeholders. Still, serious questions remain about the coordination effort, as a nearly a year after the pandemic was declared developed countries find themselves having to dispose of excess vaccines while poorer countries are reporting they have yet to obtain as many as they need.
Kroes: Future Internet Needs Partnerships, Standards 14/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Neelie Kroes, European Commission vice president and commissioner for the Digital Agenda spoke today about the future of the internet. In Valencia, Spain for a conference, she emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships, characterised innovation as “the only way to remain a global player,” and said small and medium-sized enterprises are key job generators and […]
UNITAID Patent Pool Budget Approved; Implementation To Begin 13/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Today, board members of international drug purchasing mechanism UNITAID approved a 2010 budget for a pioneering patent pool initiative.