WIPO Looks At Mandate On IP And Climate Change, Access For Reading Impaired 14/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New Leave a Comment A conference aimed at sketching out ideas for the World Intellectual Property Organization’s involvement in issues of global public policy kicked off Monday with explorations on the link intellectual property and environmental technology and a separate event devoted to access to reading material for the visually impaired.
Intérêt croissant pour les IG : une réforme internationale est nécessaire selon les partisans 10/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment TERUEL, ESPAGNE – Les indications géographiques (IG), qui favorisent une croissance économique durable et offrent une garantie de qualité, servent à la fois les intérêts des producteurs et ceux des consommateurs. Telle est la conclusion d’une réunion à haut niveau qui a rassemblé des partisans des IG en juin. Néanmoins, certains inconvénients au niveau international […]
Late-Night Breakdown On Traditional Knowledge At WIPO; Future Unclear 06/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on the protection of indigenous knowledge, expressions and genetic resources failed to reach consensus on future work Friday, putting the future of the committee in the hands of the WIPO General Assemblies in September.
Kenya Pressured To Implement Anti-Counterfeit Law Despite Access Fears 02/07/2009 by Nicholas Wadhams for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments NAIROBI – An influential manufacturers’ lobbying group in Kenya is pushing the government to start enforcing an anti-counterfeiting law within weeks, despite fears from public health advocates that the new rules will impede access to generic drugs and set an unwanted precedent in East Africa.
Global Legislative Reform Could Unlock Benefits Of GIs, Advocates Say 01/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment TERUEL, SPAIN – Geographical indications (GIs) are in the interest of both producers and consumers as they provide a tool for sustainable economic growth and offer a guarantee of quality, concluded a high-level meeting of GI proponents last week. However, with shortcomings in the international framework and a lack of consensus on GIs, countries have been trying to find legal ways to address the issue.
WIPO Work Likely To Continue On Traditional Knowledge, But How? 30/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An intergovernmental committee considering ways to protect kinds of knowledge that predate – and may not fit into – the current intellectual property system picked up this week after a chaotic round of negotiations failed to make any progress at the last meeting. Meanwhile, some indigenous groups, in whose traditions rest much of this knowledge, continue a push for stronger representation at the committee.
First Result Of Benefit-Sharing Mechanism For FAO Treaty; Push For Farmers’ Rights 22/06/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Members of a global treaty on plant genetic resources this month announced 11 new projects on biodiversity conservation in research institutions, and financed by a benefit-sharing fund whose sustainability is still in doubt. The group separately acted to better protect farmers’ rights at the national level.
Turning Points Ahead For WTO Geographical Indications, Biodiversity? 12/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The coming months could spell changes in the long-running World Trade Organization talks on creating a register for wines and spirits geographical indications and amending WTO rules to better protect biodiversity rights. Developed countries that have been blocking progress on the issues for years may be pushed at a political level, according to some sources.
EU Says GI Products Would Benefit Asian Poor In Renewing IP Assistance 12/06/2009 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments BANGKOK – The European Union told Asian countries Thursday that protecting geographical indications of their products would benefit their poor, rural people as the EU is offering to renew its intellectual property cooperation with regional countries with GI enforcement as a greater element.
Proponents See WTO Session On GI Register Ready For Substantive Talks 26/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An informal special session at the World Trade Organization on a register for geographical indications – product names associated with a particular place and characteristics – was nudged toward “substantive” talks last week, according to some participants.