Farmers’ Advocacy Groups Rejected As Observers In Plant Rights Organisation 10/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) has denied two farmers’ advocacy organisations observer status to its governing Council on grounds that they have not demonstrated expertise relevant to the intergovernmental body’s work, stirring concern that opposition groups are being denied participation. Meanwhile, the functional head of UPOV will step down this spring after a decade of leadership, with several candidates in the running for his replacement.
Generics Producers: Criminal Sanctions Can Stop Counterfeit Drugs 10/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Generic medicines Association today issued a call for criminal sanctions rather than technology to stem the flow of counterfeit drugs. This will stop counterfeiters, not bar-codes, said Antonyia Parvanova, a member of the European Parliament, according to an EGA press release. He was speaking at an EGA event on 10 November. The European […]
Eduardo Pisani Of Bristol-Myers Squibb Is New IFPMA Director General 10/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations has appointed a new director general, Eduardo Pisani, to take office 1 January 2010.
EU Telecom Package Agreed With Safeguards But Three-Strikes Still Possible 10/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A compromise was found last week between the European Parliament and European Council on “internet access safeguards” in the last remaining open issue in the European Union telecommunications package, according to the Parliament. But public interest concerns remain that restrictive punishment measures might still be possible.
US Groups Duel Over Access To ACTA Negotiation 09/11/2009 by Robinson Esalimba for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 7 Comments During the most recent negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in Seoul, Korea on 4-6 November, about which no information is available, US industry and public interest groups issued statements taking widely divergent positions on progress of the talks.
Panel Calls For Disclosure Of Industry Methodology Assessing Losses To Piracy 09/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property rights enforcement has risen on the global trade and IP agenda, but greater transparency in the evaluation of piracy and counterfeiting and assessments of broader social implications may be needed, according to speakers at a side event last week.
Interview with Martin Khor, South Centre 09/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Martin Khor, executive director of the intergovernmental South Centre on critical issues facing the global South related to intellectual property – such as climate change, and the challenge of global IP infrastructure – and what the South Centre’s plans are to address them.
“Most Important” Biodiversity Access/Benefit Meeting 09/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The UN Convention on Biological Diversity is this week undertaking what it said could be the most important negotiation in its history. The CBD is negotiating details of a fair and equitable access and benefit sharing (ABS) regime – in particular, the use of traditional knowledge as related to genetic resources and capacity building and […]
IP Rights In Starting Blocks For Copenhagen, But Issue Still Uncertain 06/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BARCELONA – Weeklong climate negotiations came to an end today, and despite the assurance from most delegations that everything is still possible in the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, many issues remain in doubt. Among them are finance, emissions reduction, technology transfer, and the nature of the agreement to be built in Copenhagen.
WTO To Extend Moratorium On Non-Violation Cases, E-Commerce Taxes 06/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Trade Organization members reached agreement today to recommend extension of a moratorium on customs duties on electronic commerce, and a moratorium on challenging other WTO members under intellectual property rules for actions not in violation of the WTO, according to a WTO official.