Interview With Brazilian Culture Minister Marcelo Calero 10/10/2016 by William New and Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment At last week’s first-ever Assembly of the Marrakesh Treaty, Intellectual Property Watch caught up with the Assembly Chair, new Brazilian Culture Minister Marcelo Calero. He talked briefly about the importance of libraries and of implementing the Marrakesh Treaty.
Vibrant Lauding Of “Historic” Marrakesh Treaty For The Blind At WIPO 06/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment “Great victory”, “life-changing”, “historic milestone” – no adjectives were strong enough yesterday to celebrate the entry into force of the Marrakesh treaty at the World Intellectual Property Organization. The treaty, which went into effect on 30 September, “opens the door to the world’s knowledge,” to visually impaired people, but will need many more countries to join, in particular countries that are major producers of special format books – the United States and the European Union.
Big Week For WIPO Marrakesh Treaty On Access For Visually Impaired; Human Rights Side Under Focus 03/10/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization treaty on copyright exceptions for print-disabled readers entered into effect on 30 September, and trading in accessible format works began immediately. This week, the treaty will be a highlight of the annual WIPO General Assemblies, and is expected to come up at the parallel UN Social Forum taking place next door.
Time To Talk Digital Issues At WTO With Focus On Developing Countries, Forum Hears 30/09/2016 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Now is the time for those who want to bring new voices to the digital trade and general trade debate involving the World Trade Organization, says an adviser to a leading security think tank in Switzerland.
UN Panel Report On Access To Medicines Seen As Holding Potential For Change 29/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – Speakers at a side event to the United Nations General Assembly last week commended a new report on access to medicines prepared by a high-level panel hand-chosen by the UN secretary general as containing fresh ideas and the potential to bring change to a longstanding problem.
Signs Of Changing Trends In FTAs’ IP Chapters, Speakers Say At WTO 29/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Although the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiation has raised significant concerns from civil society during negotiations, including about the intellectual property chapter, speakers on a panel during the World Trade Organization Public Forum yesterday said the agreement actually includes a positive provision on copyright, while some other free trade agreements under discussion still include stringent proposals on IP.
Intergovernmental Organisations Swap Notes On Working For Inclusive Trade 28/09/2016 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment If world trade is to be more inclusive it needs to assess a populist backlash against trade that is occurring in different parts of the world, says Jean-Baptiste Velut, an associate professor at Sorbonne Nouvelle University of Paris. Velut was introducing a panel yesterday during the 5th World Trade Organization Public Forum, an annual event that brings together stakeholders and members of the public to discuss trade issues, with the focus this year on inclusive trade.
WiFi Providers Can Be Forced To Require Passwords On Rightsholder Request, ECJ Rules 15/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Court of Justice today ruled that a shop offering Wifi is not liable for copyright infringements on its network but may be forced by rightsholders to require passwords to use the network. [Update: Reactions are being added below]
UN High-Level Panel On Access To Medicines Issues “Landmark” Report 14/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The long-awaited report by the United Nations High Level Panel on Access to Medicines was released today, making many recommendations. The panel calls for countries to embrace the policy space available in the World Trade Organization intellectual property rules, and invest more in health. It also calls for negotiation of a binding international treaty on research and development, delinking prices from R&D costs, greater transparency in drug pricing, public health impact assessments in free trade agreements, and encouragement to better use international legal tools available to countries to ensure affordable medical products. And it lays out the path ahead, calling for several new bodies to be created to take recommendations forward. [Note: story is being continuously updated during the day, now adding industry response]
European Commission Copyright Reform Proposal Sparks Many Jeers, Some Cheers 14/09/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments European Commission plans to overhaul EU copyright rules, officially published today, have prompted strong support and opposition. Controversy centres in particular around two proposals: The requirement that online services monitor against user-generated uploads of copyright-protected content, and the proposed grant of a “neighbouring right” to press publishers.