WIPO And The SDGs: Differing Views At Committee On IP And Development 19/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization, as a United Nations specialised agency, has a role to play in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the year 2030. How that might happen, and which goals the organisation should pursue are a matter of ongoing discussion at the WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property this week. Views diverge on whether the 17 SDGs should be considered as a whole, of if the organisation should focus on what is considered as its particular expertise and mission.
International IP Treaties Bring Tension in Africa’s Homegrown Knowledge Governance 15/05/2017 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The belief that intellectual property promotes foreign direct investment and international trade has brought tension in African countries’ ability to eliminate trade barriers, and to ensure local governments are able to develop policies that respond to local needs, according to an extensive new analysis.
WIPO Promotes IP Flexibilities Database 05/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The UN World Intellectual Property Organization this week promoted a database it has developed containing a collection of flexibilities to IP laws in countries around the world.
The Global Debate On IP, Trade And Development: Past, Present and Future 29/04/2017 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Register Now for The Global Debate on Intellectual Property, Trade and Development: Past, Present and Future – A Conference in Honour of Pedro Roffe, taking place on 15 June at the University of Geneva, Uni-Bastions, Geneva, Switzerland. Registration is open and free, see details.
Winners Of Ideas4Change For UN Sustainable Development Goals 26/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Inventions to contribute to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have been rewarded. A reactor which converts carbon dioxide into ethanol, a method for the detection of pesticides and contaminants in food, and renewable leather created from bacteria won the heart of the jury.
QUNO Briefs: Food Security Needs Farmers In Global Discussions, Agricultural Biodiversity 21/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The participation of small-scale farmers at the table of international negotiations and the protection of agricultural biodiversity are key to food security, according to the Quaker United Nations Office, which published last month two policy briefs with a list of recommendations.
African Civil Society, Farmers Demand ARIPO Lift Blackout On Protocol Protecting Plant Varieties 20/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Civil society and farmers allege communication blackout from by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) about a protocol protecting new plant varieties. The 2015 protocol was highly criticised by those organisations as endangering traditional practices of African farmers. Draft regulations could not be adopted in December, but the regional organisation, according to the civil society and farmer groups, is keeping the outcome of the December meeting secret.
UNCTAD Electronic Commerce Week: Exploring How All Can Benefit 06/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Later this month, the third edition of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development week dedicated to electronic commerce will take place. With a value estimated at US$22 trillion globally, e-commerce is booming for business, but mostly still escaping developing countries.
UPOV This Week Focused On International Cooperation System; Benin Curiously Ratifies Twice 05/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) governing body is meeting this week, along with its technical, and consultative committees. On the agenda is a potential international system of cooperation, disputed by civil society. Separately, Benin, a least-developed country, appears to be in the process of ratifying the UPOV convention, raising questions since a regional organisation of which Benin is part already joined UPOV in 2014.
Public-Private Coalition’s High-Profile Delinkage Policy For Emerging Vaccines 04/04/2017 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It’s early February in Tchaourou district, Borgou in Benin, and a pregnant woman is admitted to hospital. Her premature baby is born by caesarean section but she dies a day later on February 12th. It turns out she had Lassa fever, a deadly viral haemorrhagic disease. But that’s only discovered after the baby is discharged from hospital and taken to northern Togo. The newborn also becomes ill and is taken to hospital for treatment.