R&D Resolution Formally Submitted To WHO Board Meeting 24/01/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Brazil and Kenya have officially submitted a resolution on a new global framework for research and development (R&D) to the 23-28 January World Health Organisation Executive Board meeting and the resolution has been placed under an agenda item to come up later this week. The resolution (EB117/Conf.Paper No.3) was formally submitted on Monday afternoon, a […]
WHO IP Commission Seeks To Overcome Leak Of Report To Industry 23/01/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen and William New A closed-door World Health Organisation commission appears to have reached tentative agreement on a draft report on intellectual property rights and public health, according to sources familiar with the situation, despite an alleged earlier leak of the draft or some portion of the draft to industry. The […]
Benefit To LDC Manufacturers From Roche HIV/AIDS Offer Unclear 20/01/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has launched a new initiative under which it says it will offer manufacturers in least developed countries technical assistance in producing generic HIV/AIDS medicines, but it is unclear how many companies will be able to benefit from the project. There could be as few as five manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa that […]
WIPO Committee Puts Brakes On New Construction As Secretariat Lashes Out 14/01/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A key committee of member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organisation this week halted progress on a disputed new construction project at the UN body that has been the subject of a criminal investigation. The WIPO Program and Budget Committee (PBC), which met 11-13 January, also increased member states’ ability to scrutinise WIPO’s budget […]
Chile Urges WIPO To Act To Protect Public Domain 12/01/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The government of Chile this week submitted a proposal to an upcoming meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s new committee on the development agenda that calls for positive steps to protect information in the public domain. The first meeting of the new Provisional Committee on Proposals Related to a WIPO Development Agenda will be […]
Un estudio revela posible fraude en la gestión de la OMPI; Los miembros pueden tomar medidas 04/01/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Un estudio independiente sobre las prácticas de gestión de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI), órgano del sistema de las Naciones Unidas, halló que las acusaciones generalizadas de fraude en los últimos años puedan ser ciertas, e hizo recomendaciones para mejorar la situación. Es probable que los hallazgos lleven a los Estados miembros […]
Review Finds WIPO Management Fraud Possible; Members May Act 21/12/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An independent review of management practices at the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation found that widespread allegations of fraud in recent years could have occurred, and made recommendations for improvements. The finding is likely to lead to further action by WIPO member governments to strengthen safeguards against illegal or unethical practices. “Member states are keen […]
Hong Kong Ministerial Ends With Little Overall Progress; Limited Focus On IP 18/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hong Kong–Trade ministers of the World Trade Organization members concluded a six-day intensive negotiation with little progress on the biggest issues, and minimal work on intellectual property issues. The final ministerial declaration adopted at the end of the meeting on 18 December contained no changes in terms of intellectual property issues from the meeting’s second […]
Latest WTO Ministerial Draft Urges Discussions On IP Issues To Intensify, Adds Review Date 18/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hong Kong–The latest draft text from the World Trade Organization ministerial released today urges consultations on certain key intellectual property rights issues “to intensify” and adds a date for reviews of progress. The text is an update of a draft issued at the ongoing WTO ministerial in Hong Kong during the afternoon of 17 December […]
Non-Violation Complaint Moratorium Extended In Latest Hong Kong Draft 18/12/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hong Kong–The 17 December draft of the ministerial text at the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting extends a freeze preventing WTO members from complaining about other members’ intellectual property rights practices even when they are not violating WTO rules. There were no other significant changes to the draft text related to intellectual property rights. […]