New Thai Minister May Review Compulsory Licences On Cancer Drugs 08/02/2008 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch BANGKOK – Thailand’s new Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsup said on Friday he might review the imposition of compulsory licences on three cancer treatment drugs by the previous government. “But review doesn’t mean cancelling the compulsory licences,” Chaiya told a group of 70 representatives of patients living with […]
Thailand Avoids Compulsory Licence On Cancer Drug; 3 More Drugs Undecided 31/01/2008 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch BANGKOK – The Thai government has decided not to use its right to a compulsory licence on a Novartis cancer treatment drug after the company agreed to provide for free its patented drugs for cancer patients under a major government-sponsored health insurance programme. However, current Public Health Minister […]
European Court: Governments May Require ISPs To Disclose Data On Suspected Pirates 30/01/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch The European Court of Justice (ECJ) avoided a potential upheaval in copyright enforcement by ruling on 29 January that governments can, but are not required to, order Internet service providers (ISPs) to disclose personal data about subscribers suspected of online piracy, according to Hogan & Hartson Paris attorney […]
New Year Brings Prospect Of New WIPO Leader, Budget Agreement 21/12/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New [Note: Informal DG candidates listed below] The campaign season has begun to fill the top seat at the World Intellectual Property Organization, which is being vacated in 2008, one year early. At the same time, WIPO members have been debating over how and when to try again to end a stalemate over […]
Thailand Moves To Amend Copyright Law To Regulate Royalties 19/12/2007 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch BANGKOK – Thailand’s lawmakers on Tuesday finalised a draft bill to amend its copyrights law in an effort to regulate the collecting of royalties in domestic music industry, which bill proponents say has been subject to extortion by gangsters and corrupt law enforcers. The bill, finalised on 18 […]
WTO Members Continue Debate On Geographical Indications Register 17/12/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Members of the World Trade Organization on Friday continued a longstanding debate over the creation of a register for geographical indications (GIs), products whose names derive from places. Debate centred on a recent compromise proposal from European countries driving the effort to establish the register, who received new support from countries seeking […]
Broadcasting Treaty: Council of Europe Picks Up Where WIPO Left Off 10/12/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch The Council of Europe is deliberating on whether to negotiate a convention to protect broadcasters’ signals against piracy and thereby take up the issue from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) where negotiations on a proposed broadcasting treaty came to a standstill earlier this year. The Council’s decision […]
Members Seek To Raise TRIPs Amendments In WTO Negotiations 05/12/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New World Trade Organization members seeking changes to international rules on trade and intellectual property rights moved this week to include the debate on their proposals in an upcoming deadline for the broader trade negotiations at the WTO. But opponents continued to resist moving the issues to negotiation. At issue is a proposal […]
EU To Publish Online Content Rule As Industry Launches IP Standard 29/11/2007 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch The European Commission’s is expected to publish by year’s end a communication on creative content online that will address how to improve the competitiveness of European online content production and distribution industry, European officials said Thursday. In remarks broadcast at the unveiling of the Automated Content Access […]
EU Parliament Urges Change In IP Rules For Environmental Technology 29/11/2007 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – Intellectual property rules should be reshaped to ensure that they do not hinder developing countries from gaining access to technology considered vital for addressing climate change, the European Parliament has declared. Members of the Parliament (MEPs) on 29 November approved a report that urges examination of […]