G8 Summit Strengthens IP Protection; May Undercut Compulsory Licensing 07/06/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch, and Tove Gerhardsen The strengthening of intellectual property rights protection in “a new dialogue” between Group of 8 and emerging economies moderated by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the possible establishment of an “IPR Task Force focussing on anti-counterfeiting and piracy” are among decisions […]
TRIPS Council: Big Boost For Biodiversity Amendment; Enforcement Debated 06/06/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Broad new support emerged this week for a proposal to amend World Trade Organization rules on intellectual property to better protect countries’ biological resources, while efforts to increase discussions on intellectual property protection remain unresolved. The issues led the agenda at the 5 June meeting of the WTO Council on […]
EU Urged To Back Poor Countries’ Use Of TRIPS Flexibilities 06/06/2007 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Union should stop demanding that poor countries apply its intellectual property rules to medicines through trade negotiations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) bloc, legal experts argued at a 4 June event here. The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, is hoping to […]
Case Could Signal Weakening Of Digital Rights Management In Europe 04/06/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A ruling by the Helsinki, Finland, District Court could have far-reaching implications for the use of technical protection measures (TPMs) in Europe, according to legal experts. The 25 May decision held that the Content Scrambling System (CSS) now used in DVD movies is “ineffective” as the term is […]
Quiet TRIPS Council Meeting Expected; Enforcement Push Continues 01/06/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Next week’s meeting of the World Trade Organization’s intellectual property committee is expected to be “business as usual,” continuing work on difficult topics, including the committee’s role in the enforcement of intellectual property rights. On this, Switzerland has introduced a new document, according to officials. The WTO Council on Trade-Related […]
Friends of Development May Narrow WIPO Development Agenda Proposals 28/05/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The developing countries that in 2004 proposed an agenda for reform of the World Intellectual Property Organization toward stronger consideration of developing country needs are exploring a compromise in advance of the next WIPO meeting on the issue, according to government sources. About 70 proposals, some seen as far-reaching, are slated for […]
World Health Assembly Agrees On IP And Innovation; US Abstains 23/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen After much discussion and hard-won willingness to shift positions on what a chair referred to as a “difficult resolution,” member states concluded the 2007 World Health Assembly on 23 May with the adoption of an agreement on innovation of medicines and intellectual property. But it was done without support from […]
Health Assembly Sets Up Drafting Group On Brazil IP Proposal 21/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The World Health Assembly on 21 May set up a drafting group to discuss a Brazilian proposal that could give direction to ongoing discussions on public health, innovation and intellectual property and potentially reinforce the use of trade law for public health. The drafting group is expected to start its […]
WHO Head Expresses Commitment To Strengthen IP Working Group 20/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan this week made a firm commitment to strengthen an intergovernmental working group on innovation and access to treatments that for the past year has struggled to find its focus, sources said. With a new proposal from Brazil focusing on what WHO can do […]
IP Rises At Assembly As Brazil Proposes Greater WHO Role In Trade 17/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Intellectual property has become a major issue at this year’s World Health Assembly, with Brazil introducing a new draft resolution on public health, innovation and intellectual property, adding to various draft resolutions involving IP already under discussion. Meanwhile, a question was raised this week about WHO leadership on these issues. […]