Speculation Persists On ACTA As First Official Meeting Concludes 05/06/2008 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Government representatives from developed nations and strategic developing nation partners met at the US mission in Geneva on 3-4 June to discuss proposals for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Parties at the negotiation included: Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, […]
Brazil Approval Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Could Boost Patenting 03/06/2008 by Claudia Jurberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Claudia Jurberg for Intellectual Property Watch RIO DE JANEIRO – After three days of consideration, the Brazilian Supreme Court last week approved by a narrow 6 to 5 margin research involving embryonic stem cells. The 29 May vote followed a protracted fight that consumed three years. The case arose after former Brazilian Attorney General […]
“Great Achievement” On IP Issues At Convention On Biological Diversity Summit 30/05/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara Government negotiators meeting in Bonn this week reached breakthroughs on two intellectual property-related areas of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). At the highest level of the CBD membership, agreement was struck on a way forward on creating a regime to ensure equitable access to biodiversity and equitable sharing of […]
Embattled ACTA Negotiations Next Week In Geneva; US Sees Signing This Year 30/05/2008 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 13 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Formal negotiations on an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) are expected to commence next week in Geneva, according to a European Commission official, even as a leaked United States trade office paper is drawing criticism of the proposed pact. The publication of a US Trade Representative’s office discussion paper […]
European Commission Proposes Forum On Future Of Copying Levies 28/05/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Commission has recommended that a forum involving creative artists and the consumer industry should be established to determine the future of private copying levies. Twenty-one of the European Union’s 27 countries impose oft-criticised surcharges on equipment – ranging from blank cassettes to MP3 players […]
Debate Surrounds Final WHO Global Strategy, Action Plan On IP And Health 24/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New [Update: The assembly reached agreement on the global strategy, but the final text is not available, according to the WHO.] Draft texts of a global strategy, plan of action and resolution on ways to stimulate research into neglected diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations were adopted Saturday at committee level by World Health […]
WHO Members Near Accord On Global Strategy On IP And Health 24/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Down to the final hours before the closing ceremonies of this year’s World Health Assembly, governments have nearly completed work on a global strategy to stimulate research into neglected diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations. But work skipped to the draft assembly resolution after the draft plan of action provoked a debate on […]
Slow Going On Intellectual Property, Innovation Strategy At Health Assembly 22/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [Note: new 23 May draft text of strategy and plan of action posted to IP-Watch Subscriber section] By William New Negotiators of a global strategy to boost innovation in and access to treatments for under-researched diseases largely afflicting the poor this week are working behind closed doors in increasingly smaller groups and have a few […]
World Health Assembly Opens On Note Of Global Crises, Hope For IP 20/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The 61st annual World Health Assembly on Monday opened auspiciously with speeches on the world’s biggest political issues, current disasters and looming global threats, but little room for intellectual property issues. IP issues did arise in a press briefing with US Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, however. Some 2,500 people […]
INTA 130th Annual Meeting: Networking, Anti-Counterfeiting, Emerging Markets 19/05/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Catherine Saez BERLIN – About 8,000 trademark professionals and industry representatives from more than 130 countries have gathered at this week’s International Trademark Association (INTA) meeting from 17 to 21 May. Trademark lawyers mostly come to this annual event to meet their international counterparts and clients but also to hear the latest on policy […]