OECD Conference Considers Evidence That Patents Hinder Research 18/05/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment MADRID – During the first half of a two-day of an intellectual property conference, studies presented on whether patenting affects access for researchers concluded that although there is an access problem, it may not be a major problem for academic researchers. But the discussion showed that conference participants differ on the problem, as well as […]
France Forges Ahead With Copyright Law 16/05/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch The French Senate on 10 May approved legislation aimed at aligning the country’s intellectual property law with the European Union Copyright Directive. The Senate package differs in several key respects from the one adopted in March by the National Assembly but is equally controversial, stakeholders said. The Senate-passed […]
Yale Conference Invigorates Access To Knowledge Movement 04/05/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (US)–A late April conference at prestigious Yale University Law School gave new focus and momentum to a growing movement aimed at protecting the public’s right to access knowledge. The effort seeks to slow years of momentum in the direction of ever-stronger and wider-reaching intellectual property rights seen as moving ever-greater amounts of […]
WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Talks Off To Slow Start As Opponents Grow 02/05/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the second day of a weeklong meeting at World Intellectual Property Organization on copyright issues, there is little indication so far whether member governments will recommend the full negotiation of a treaty boosting the protection of broadcasts, according to participants. At stake in the 1-5 May meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyrights and […]
Intergovernmental South Centre Bolsters Its IP Programme 20/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The South Centre, a Geneva-based intergovernmental organisation, is gearing up its work on intellectual property by launching a new programme on innovation, access to knowledge and intellectual property. The centre says it already sees the results of the programme in developing countries’ increased involvement in IP, including at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The […]
Universities See “Disastrous Effects” For Education, Science In German Copyright Reform 30/03/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch A German scientist who would like to read an online book owned by another department of his university soon may have to travel to the department and read it on site instead if a proposed copyright law is passed. “I will not be able to just use our […]
Potential WIPO Reform Discussed At Consumer Conference 22/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BRUSSELS – A consumer-led conference on intellectual property touched on a wide range of issues during its second day, from whether the $9 physical production costs of CDs are saved through digital distribution, to what would be an ideal reform of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Antony Taubman, who heads the traditional knowledge division […]
Experts: Intellectual Property Policy Not A Traditional Left-Right Political Issue 21/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – Intellectual property policy may not be divided along left-right political party lines, participants in a consumer-led conference here on the politics and ideology of intellectual property concluded yesterday. On 20 March one of the debates on intellectual property and advocacy centred around software and patents. The two-day event is hosted by the Trans […]
A Philosophical Take On The Current Global IP Debate Meets Reality 20/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – A debate on intellectual property and the “knowledge commons” started out with a review of rhetoric and ideology here today but soon got more heated as the discussion turned to examples from real life, such as the patentability of maize. The event is hosted by the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue, a forum of […]
Opposition Heavy To US Environmental Health Agency Plan To Privatise Open Access Journal 28/02/2006 by Steve Gibb for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steve Gibb for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – The director of the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is facing overwhelming opposition to a plan to privatise an open-access environmental science journal NIEHS publishes, according to public comments on the plan. NIEHS last September proposed privatizing Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), www.ehponline.org, […]