Record Global Trademark Filings in 2006; China Tops Designations 15/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The year 2006 was “a very good year” for the international trademark system with a record number of filings, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). China and Russia were the favourite countries in terms of where trademarks should apply, while Germany remained the top source country for filers […]
EU Parliament: Competition Yes, But No ‘Big Bang’ For Collective Rights 14/03/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch The European Parliament this week passed a resolution on cross-border collective rights management asking for a framework directive at the EU level that would encourage more competition. But parliamentary members of the bigger political party groups warned against a “big bang” of unrestricted competition and an overly rapid […]
Sharp Increase In Internet Domain Name Disputes Last Year, WIPO Says 13/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Stephen Flug for Intellectual Property Watch The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said there was a 25 percent increase in “cybersquatting” complaints – the registering and use of domain names to profit from another party’s trademark – last year compared with the previous year, making this the highest number of cases since 2000. A […]
Thailand Presents Report On Compulsory Licensing Experience 12/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A Thai official says the government’s phones have started ringing a lot more frequently since Thailand issued compulsory licenses to import and eventually produce patented medicines, moving patent owners to drop their prices. But sceptics maintained at a recent meeting that Thailand should have talked to the companies before issuing […]
Indonesian Avian Flu Stance Reveals Potential Weakness In Global System 08/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The Indonesian government’s reluctance to share avian influenza virus samples to help develop a global vaccine for humans has revealed a weakness in the international flu research system related to developing countries’ concern with the impact of intellectual property rights on public health. Developing countries are concerned that if they […]
March Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 08/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter features the most important news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the IP community at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Geneva missions, regional and national IP offices, industry and non-governmental organisations, plus News Briefs on reports and events that do not […]
USTR Report Lays Out IP Trade Agenda For 2007 07/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States will pursue stronger intellectual property rights and enforcement in multilateral forums such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as in free trade agreements and regional agreements, and is considering dispute settlement cases against several countries on IP. The 467-page President’s 2007 Trade Policy Agenda and […]
Avanza de forma significativa la negociación sobre el Programa de la OMPI para el Desarrollo 06/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por William New y Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Se ha alcanzado un acuerdo preliminar sobre el primer conjunto de propuestas cuyo objetivo es mejorar el equilibrio entre los intereses de los países desarrollados y los países en desarrollo en la Organización Mundial de Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI). Los miembros de la OMPI negociaron 40 propuestas sobre […]
EU Enforcement Directive Stuck: What Is ‘Commercial Scale’ Infringement? 05/03/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch For the third time since December, the European Parliament committee vote on an EU directive on criminal sanctions against infringers of intellectual property rights has been postponed. This is a signal that there are great difficulties with the text, say observers from non governmental organisations, who argue that the European Commission should kill it or rewrite it from scratch. But a compromise is near, according to the vice chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market (JURI), Rainer Wieland (EPP).
NGO-Industry Drug For Poor Countries Sets Non-Patent Standard 05/03/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A new anti-malarial, non-patented drug available cheaply to the public sector is being hailed as proof that it is possible for the private and public sectors to overcome differences over patents and reach concrete results for public health in poor countries. The not-for-profit research organisation, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative […]