Concerns Raised Over Potential Threat of Investment Agreements 25/07/2013 by Brittany Ngo for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Investor agreements, included in many bilateral investment treaties (BITs), are a source of growing concern for many national governments. These agreements essentially leave countries vulnerable to litigation by individual firms, rather than other countries, as is the case in traditional World Trade Organization disputes.
IP And Branding – Tools For Development, WIPO Says 24/07/2013 by Brittany Ngo for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property and product branding can be valuable tools for development, and communities and countries are taking note, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization, which held a presentation on the issue yesterday.
ECOSOC Tackles HIV/AIDS, NCDs, Science/Tech For Development 23/07/2013 by Brittany Ngo for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) yesterday took action on reports pertaining to HIV/AIDS, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and science and technology for development.
WTO DG Lamy: Road To Bali Ministerial Clearer 22/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy today said the road to the next WTO ministerial, in Bali, Indonesia in December, has become clearer. He gave a detailed update on issues under negotiation, and included a positive mention of the recent agreement to extend the period for least-developed countries to adopt WTO rules on trade and intellectual property.
WIPO Folklore Talks Stalling; Work Continues On New Draft Text 18/07/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Negotiators at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week are struggling to make headway on a draft text of an international instrument for the protection of traditional cultural expressions, or folklore. And accusations began to fly that certain developed countries are not engaging in good faith to move negotiations along.
WIPO Scrounges For Funds For Indigenous Participants In Key Treaty Negotiations 15/07/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization members are nearing conclusion of negotiations for an international instrument or instruments on issues critical to indigenous peoples, such as protection of traditional indigenous knowledge, practices and genetic resources. But the WIPO membership as a whole has been miserly when it comes to funding indigenous peoples’ participation in the process, and now many are in danger of being left out of the process.
Members Concerned Over WIPO 2014/2015 Programme, Budget; New Treaties On The Way 14/07/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization’s proposed programme and budget for the next biennium faced some tough questioning from the UN agency’s member states last week. Meanwhile, WIPO is anticipating a series of treaty negotiations in the next two years.
WTO Aid For Trade Review Looks At LDCs And Value Chains 10/07/2013 by Caitlin McGivern for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Trade, development and value chains were a subject of discussion at this week’s World Trade Organization 4th Global Review of Aid for Trade, an initiative that encourages developing country governments and donors to recognise the role that trade can play in development.
Panel Discusses Role Of ECOSOC In The UN’s Post-2015 Goals 09/07/2013 by Caitlin McGivern for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The contribution the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) can make to the formation of a post-2015 UN development agenda was at the centre of a thematic debate in Geneva last week. The agenda, to be developed by the General Assembly, is expected to include issues such as innovation, public health and the transfer of technology.
ECOSOC Panel: Science, Technology, Innovation Essential For Universal Health Coverage 04/07/2013 by Brittany Ngo for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) panel discussion on universal health coverage (UHC) on 3 July highlighted the importance of science, technology and innovation for achieving UHC, especially in the context of the post-2015 development agenda. Speakers discussed the meaning and scope of UHC as well as the financing and promotion of UHC in various country contexts.