WHO Expert Report On R&D Financing Now Online 24/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An expert working group under the auspices of the World Health Organization tasked with finding ways to finance research and development for diseases that disproportionately affect the poor has released its much-anticipated report. The report is available here [pdf]. After analysing over 90 different proposals, the working group has drawn up a short list of […]
New USTR Report On China WTO Compliance 24/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Office of the United States Trade Representative released 23 December a report to the US Congress concerning China’s compliance with its obligations under the World Trade Organization. It is available here. The report examines China’s commitments over a list of broad categories: trading rights, distribution services, import regulation, export regulation, internal policies affecting trade, […]
Microsoft Loses Key Patent Judgment 23/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Computer technology giant Microsoft has lost an appeal on a patent case that now could see the company withdrawing the current versions of two of its widely-used software programmes from the market. The dispute concerns a computer language for document programmes, called XML, that allows for the editing of certain structural information in a document. […]
Argentina Extends Music Copyright Term; Opposition Mounts 23/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The term of protection on sound recording for performers and producers has been extended in Argentina from 50 to 70 years, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The extension of the protection was supported by the Argentine Performers Association and the Argentine Music Industry Chamber (CAPIF). Javier Delupí, director of CAPIF, […]
France Reins In Google Digitisation Project 23/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US internet search engine company Google was sentenced by a French tribunal to pay a €300,000 euro fine to French publishing company La Martinière on 18 December but plans to appeal, according to sources. According to the judgment posted on Legalis, a web-based resource for lawyers, available here (in French), Google lost the lawsuit brought […]
WTO Appellate Body Report On US-China Dispute 22/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization’s dispute-settling Appellate Body has issued its report on a complaint made by the United States against China on “Measures Affecting Trading Rights and Distribution Services for Certain Publications and Audiovisual Entertainment Products.” The case concerns measures in Chinese law which the US said restrict the ability of foreign companies to import […]
WTO Extends Deadline For Health IP Amendment Acceptance 21/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The General Council of the World Trade Organization on 17 December agreed to extend a deadline for accepting an amendment to the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement by two years. The amendment would make permanent a temporary “waiver” that is already in effect. The text of this waiver, agreed to 30 August […]
Oxford Task Force To Examine Global Knowledge Governance 10/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Intellectual property rules are the predominant tool to manage knowledge ownership and diffusion, but the complexity of IP regimes at the bilateral, regional or multilateral levels as well as the strengthening of these rules is a source of tension between stakeholders, according to a newly launched task force at the Oxford University Global Economic Governance […]
Copenhagen Attendees: Techies, Greenies, Political Posturers, Commerce Opportunists 10/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The provisional list of registered participants to the 7-18 December United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen is out, and a look at it reveals the variety of people considered relevant to the timely and cross-cutting issue. A look at the United States delegation alone shows the wide representation from across the Obama administration […]
GAO Reviews US Overseas IP Attachés 09/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The placement of specialised United States government intellectual property attachés overseas, such as in Beijing and Guangzhou, China; New Delhi, India; and Bangkok, Thailand, has had an overall positive impact on coordination of international IP enforcement efforts, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) testified to Congress today. The GAO is an independent research arm of […]