Time Ticking For WIPO Delegates On Copyright Exceptions Treaty 19/04/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new text has been the subject of negotiation today by a committee seeking to finalise a draft treaty providing exceptions and limitations to copyrights so that blind and visually impaired people have facilitated access to special format books. Delegates are seeking to find language through agreed statements as a way out of prickly issues.
ISOC, IETF Promote Open Standardisation, Consider What’s “Open”? 19/04/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Berlin – Open standardisation processes, their problems and their value for economy and society were the subject of discussion at a conference on 17 April at the German Ministry of Economy and Technology in Berlin.
Last Drafting Effort On WIPO Treaty For The Blind Before Diplomatic Conference 17/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments In an effort to clean up a draft treaty text providing limitations and exceptions to copyright for blind and visually impaired persons, World Intellectual Property Organization members will meet this week for intense drafting sessions. The text, once cleaned, is expected to be sent to a top-level treaty negotiation in June.
The Novartis Decision: A Tale Of Developing Countries, IP, And The Role Of The Judiciary 15/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Ahmed Abdel Latif says of the Novartis case: The ruling is also a revealing tale about the changing role of developing countries in the global intellectual property landscape and the growing influence of the judiciary in these countries in the implementation of international intellectual property rules.
Lack Of Progress In Closing Digital Divide Gap, Says World Economic Forum 10/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A significant gap remains in advanced and developing economies’ access to information technologies, according to the 2013 “Global Information Technology Report” released today by the World Economic Forum.
Health Research Colloquium Calls On Countries To Invest More In R&D 09/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment During the recent Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) Colloquium 2013, participants highlighted the value of research and development in supporting public health and the importance of building self-reliance for countries through government investment, according to organisers. Some of the themes discussed during the event will be included in a report on public health policy, which will be published in The Lancet later this year.
WIPO Hails India’s Accession To Trademark System; India Advocates Balance 09/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A full room of country delegates and ambassadors gathered yesterday to celebrate the accession of India to the Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks at the World Intellectual Property Organization. However, beyond the joy of accession, the recent decision of the Indian Supreme Court on a Novartis drug patent loomed in the room.
North American Universities Seen Failing To Promote Socially Responsible Licensing 05/04/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A student group is holding top research universities in the US and Canada accountable for how much they are – or are not – contributing to global public health. According to a recently released report by Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a non-profit organisation, most institutions are falling short when it comes to investing in neglected diseases and promoting access to medicines.
African Regional Plant Variety Protection Draft Legislation Raises Protest 05/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A draft protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants proposed by an inter-governmental African regional economic community is provoking the ire of civil society concerned about the potential impact of the protocol on small farmers, and the lack of consultation of farmers.
The Judgment In Novartis v. India: What The Supreme Court Of India Said 04/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments Following the Indian Supreme Court decision in Novartis AG v. Union of India, Prof. Frederick Abbott says, “the judgment is well-crafted, with close attention to the facts presented, and appears to take a balanced view of the matters brought before the Court.”