Plant Treaty Governing Body Examines Budget, Farmers Rights, Funding Strategy 08/10/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The governing body of the international plant treaty is holding its annual meeting this week with a number of issues to go through, in particular the adoption of the next biennium budget, and the funding strategy of the treaty.
Countries Seek Ways To Restore Work On Traditional Knowledge Protection At WIPO 06/10/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The fate of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee dedicated to finding solutions to protect traditional knowledge, generic resources, and folklore is being actively discussed informally at the organisation’s general assembly.
IP Clauses In FTAs Should Not Go Beyond TRIPS, Generics Manufacturers Say 04/10/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Free trade agreements should include incentives for generic and biosimilar medicines, speakers said at a panel during the World Trade Organization Public Forum last week.
India: Poor Man’s Intellectual Property Is Hijacked 28/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments It is a healthy trend that the awareness on GI is on the rise in India. However, the misuse of GI legislation also is rampant. Recent past has witnessed many instances of inappropriate GI Registrations, writes Praveen Raj.
Industry Holds Closed-Door Conference With Governments On Access And Benefit-Sharing 28/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A conference involving European governments and industry on how to comply with the new European Union rules on access and benefit sharing, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the agriculture industry, is taking place this week in Paris. Seemingly contrary to the subject of access and sharing, the event is closed to the public and media.
African Group Proposes Permanent Traditional Knowledge Committee At WIPO 23/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In a couple of weeks, the World Intellectual Property Organization will hold its annual General Assembly. The African Group is asking the Assembly transform the committee devoted to finding a way to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore from misappropriation into a standing committee. This would allow the committee to avoid seeking the renewal of its existence every two years, which it faces again at this year’s Assembly.
Paper: Strict Plant Variety Protection In Africa Goes Beyond International Regulation 22/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new paper by a Norwegian researcher finds that recent legislation efforts on plant variety protection in Africa go beyond the requirements of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).
US Proposes Suspension Of WIPO TK Committee; Switzerland And Others Counter 11/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The normative work at the World Intellectual Property Organization on the protection of traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and folklore was suspended last year. In the lead-up to the 2015 WIPO General Assembly, the United States has proposed to discontinue the mandate of the committee working on the subject. The US suggests replacing the committee with seminars, studies, and an experts working group. Meanwhile, Switzerland, on behalf of a group of countries, has proposed that the committee’s work resume. And still other countries may be seeking to make the committee a permanent feature at the UN agency.
India: Caution On Classifying Traditional Knowledge Under IPRs 28/08/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment From The Hindu: Even as the government has initiated the process of vetting a draft Bill on the protection and management of traditional knowledge (TK), experts caution against creating monopoly rights on TK and classifying it under intellectual property rights.
WIPO Director Gurry Highlights Value Of Indigenous Knowledge 21/08/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge and creativity is a valuable source of inspiration for all, but might benefit from being better protected, the head of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization said this month. WIPO is currently negotiating an international instrument or instruments to better protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions (folklore).