WIPO Members Working Out Response To Independent Review of Development Agenda 02/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The first review of the implementation of the 2007 Development Agenda Recommendations aimed at infusing a development dimension into the World Intellectual Property Organization found that this implementation had been mostly consistent with the expectations of member states, but the review provided a list of suggestions to fill additional gaps. In committee this week, some countries asked that the WIPO secretariat prepare a response on how it plans to implement the recommendations provided by the experts conducting the review, but this is yet to be agreed.
WIPO Committee Debates SDGs, Review Of Development Agenda Recommendations 01/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is meeting this week with an agenda including the presentation of a first review on how well WIPO implemented its Development Agenda Recommendations from 2008 to 2015. Also on the agenda is a discussion on what United Nations Sustainable Development Goals can be applied to WIPO’s work, and what the role of WIPO is in technology transfer.
Antimicrobial Resistance Should Not Overshadow Broader Issue Of Access To Medicines, Some Say 26/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment While the issue of antimicrobial resistance has arrived in high-level discussions, and there is a consensus that the problem must be tackled one way or another to avoid slipping back into a pre-antibiotic era, some voices are highlighting the need to remember that other health issues remain unmet, and access to medicines is still an acute problem.
Freedom To Utilize Genetic Resources? The Nagoya Protocol Two Years Later 24/10/2016 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment At its second anniversary, the Nagoya Protocol is ushering in an international access and benefit-sharing (ABS) system that may impact the freedom to operate with genetic resources. Those who utilize genetic resources and information should understand the emerging framework and take actions to reduce the risk of patent invalidation, legal liability and reputational harm that may flow from a violation of ABS requirements, writes Bruce S. Manheim.
Special Report: IP And Competition Law – Opposing Forces Or Partners For Consumer Welfare? 20/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property and competition authorities should collaborate, but other institutions should also have their say, such as health ministries, speakers said at a United Nations meeting of experts this week. And guidelines should be provided to judges in the difficult task of determining whether IP rights monopolies impede on competition, they said. This special report takes a deeper look at IPRs, competition, and differing economies.
Panel: WIPO Assistance Should Provide Developing Countries With Choices On Plant Variety Protection 17/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A side event to last week’s annual General Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization looked at ways for developing countries to design sui generis system for protecting new varieties of plant. The event also looked into the technical assistance provided by WIPO, which, according to the groups, focuses only on the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) system.
WIPO Development Agenda Needs More Promotion, Country Involvement, Experts Say 05/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Has the adoption of the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda in 2007 changed the culture of the organisation, and what did it achieve? According to panellists at a side event to this week’s WIPO General Assembly, the Development Agenda has not yet changed the culture of the organisation and its primary focus to support and protect intellectual property. However, WIPO should follow the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and collaborate with other UN agencies to include development consideration in its work, they say.
External Offices, WIPO Normative Work At Heart Of General Assemblies 03/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The decision-making bodies of the World Intellectual Property Organization are meeting this week with the hope of advancing discussions of pending potential treaties to protect broadcasting organisations, and simplifying the international applications for industrial designs. Meanwhile, Director General Francis Gurry opened the annual WIPO General Assemblies with a look at the past year and challenges for the future.
Ecommerce Seen As Opportunity For All Countries But Hurdles Remain, WTO Panels Say 03/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Electronic commerce was a focus of the World Trade Organization Public Forum last week, a nod to its continuing rise in global importance. Several panels looked at how to integrate developing countries and small and medium-size enterprises into the global stream of online trade. Although ecommerce is an opportunity for developing countries, many hurdles remain for them, most obviously the digital divide, speakers said.
Panel At WTO Discusses Competition Policy And Why It Matters To Trade 02/10/2016 by Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Competition policy has evolved along with globalization and trade in past years. Now there are challenges such as the growth in international trade transactions and rapidly increasing cross-border mergers and antitrust cases. In parallel, the proliferation of competition policies and system has created potential of conflict of jurisdiction. Experts on competition and trade policies came together during the World Trade Organization Public Forum last week to discuss what the WTO can do and how better coordination between the competition policy and trade policy can be achieved to support growth and inclusiveness.