Drug Seizures In Frankfurt Spark Fears Of EU-Wide Pattern 05/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments Health advocates have raised alarm over reports that several million pills of generic medicine were held up in Frankfurt airport in May despite being destined for a different port. And new information has come to light indicating Dutch seizures were more numerous than originally thought. These developments have prompted outcry and the assertion that a European-wide law on customs and intellectual property is problematic.
Swedish Pirate Party Set To Win Seats In EU Elections 05/06/2009 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments COPENHAGEN – As a candidate for the European Parliament elections on Sunday, the Swedish Pirate Party has “good chances” of winning one, two or possibly even three mandates, it says, referring to Swedish opinion polls.
US Senate Judiciary Prioritises Performance Rights Bill 04/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Draft legislation to change United States copyright law related to payment for music on radio is likely to see action this summer in the Senate Judiciary Committee, the committee chairman said Thursday.
WIPO Names First-Ever Chief Economist 02/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A well-known European economist has been named the first-ever Chief Economist at the World Intellectual Property Organization, according to sources.
WIPO Limitations & Exceptions Treaty Advances; Audiovisual Treaty Gets New Life 30/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments After intensive negotiations, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee reached agreement Friday night on a plan to address a proposed treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired persons and others. There also appeared to be a renewed focus on a decade-old treaty proposal on audiovisual performances, according to participants.
Proposed WIPO Treaty On Visually Impaired Access Gets Deeper Look 29/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired persons proposed this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization met with no immediate objections, according to participants, but how to treat the proposal and other limitations and exceptions in the future has led to a sharpening divergence among governments.
Broadcasting Industry Makes Case For WIPO Treaty Revival 27/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment To kick off the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting this week, representatives primarily from the broadcasting industry gave their views on key developments in the field, and what that means for intellectual property protection. The overwhelming message was the revival of a strong call for a global policy solution to address cross-border challenges in the industry, though a few speakers included attention to the public interest.
Proponents See WTO Session On GI Register Ready For Substantive Talks 26/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An informal special session at the World Trade Organization on a register for geographical indications – product names associated with a particular place and characteristics – was nudged toward “substantive” talks last week, according to some participants.
Group Of Countries To Back Proposal For WIPO Treaty On Blind Readers’ Rights 25/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A group of Latin American and Caribbean countries have declared their intention to support discussion of a proposal to negotiate a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty ensuring an exception to copyright for visually impaired readers who lack access to protected reading materials. The proposal is expected to be brought to the floor of a key copyright committee meeting this week.
Off The Agenda, Counterfeits Still Draw Attention At Health Assembly 23/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Counterfeit medicines were left off this year’s truncated World Health Assembly agenda but still managed to have an impact. The contentious, intellectual property-related issue arose during a discussion on the World Health Organization’s future plans, as several nations objected to a budget line referencing a programme to combat counterfeit drugs.