WTO Issues Final Decision On US-China Copyright Dispute 26/01/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments By Kaitlin Mara and William New China has been found in violation of two of its responsibilities under international rules on trade and intellectual property, and in partial violation of one more, said a World Trade Organization panel report on the US-China dispute over copyright and customs matters released Monday. But the panel did not […]
WHO Puts Nearly $150 Billion Price Tag On Global R&D Strategy For Neglected Diseases 22/01/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Kaitlin Mara Estimated funding needs for the implementation of the World Health Organization strategy on global public health and intellectual property have been revealed in a new document. The document lays out element by element the expected cost of implementing the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property […]
WHO Members Make Informal Progress On Plan Of Action As Executive Board Opens 20/01/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara A small, diverse group of member states meeting informally over the weekend were able to resolve questions of which institutions should be actors in a broader plan of action for the implementation of the World Health Organization Global Strategy on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property, according to sources. The informal agreement […]
Counterfeit Medication, R&D Financing Key IP Issues At WHO Board Meeting 16/01/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara The Executive Board of the World Health Organization meets next week with significant discussion expected on a new secretariat report on counterfeit medical products as well as on the implementation of the WHO’s mandated global strategy on public health, innovation, and intellectual property. There has been significant interest from a variety of […]
Revised Chinese Patent Law Aims At Quality, Compulsory Licensing 15/01/2009 by Jia Hepeng for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Jia Hepeng and Yuan Yue for Intellectual Property Watch BEIJING – China’s newly revised patent law could create a more favourable environment for foreign companies to do research in the country, though measures are still needed to implement the law more effectively, according to some legal experts. The updated law also strengthens the government’s […]
FAO Plant Treaty To Operationalise Benefit-Sharing Fund 14/01/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara Benefits from sharing and using biodiversity of food crops could soon be making their way to stakeholders, as the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture prepares to make its benefit-sharing fund fully operational. For the first time, say members of the treaty secretariat, this fund completes the circle […]
RIAA Claims Scale-Down Of US Copyright Litigation; Details Of New Plan Unclear 23/12/2008 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch 11 Comments By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch Representatives from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) have confirmed that the organisation has opted to suspend its strategy of suing individuals accused of illegal file-sharing in the United States and to instead work more closely with internet service providers to thwart copyright infringement, but some doubts […]
Last-Minute Progress Made On Pandemic Flu; More Still To Come 15/12/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara Significant strides were made at last week’s World Health Organization meeting on pandemic influenza preparedness, as assembled delegates searched for – and found – a way to satisfy member states’ differing views on the need for access to viruses and related biological materials and the need for access to vaccines and other […]
WIPO Assembly Approves New Budget Unlocking Gears Of Change 12/12/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization gave their first vote of confidence for the secretariat’s plans to realign the UN organisation Friday as they unanimously approved a reworked budget for 2008-2009. The approval came in an extraordinary one-day General Assembly on 12 December that ended quickly after the Program […]
New WIPO Director’s Revised Budget On Track To Passage After Debate 11/12/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment [Editor’s Note: Final formal committee-level approval of the Program and Budget Committee recommendations took place on Friday morning.] By William New The powerful World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee on Thursday tacitly approved a new one-year budget funding the start of a strategic organisational realignment, with clarifications to reflect concerns of developing countries […]