USTR Strikes IP Deal With Honduras On Generic Cheese, Signal Piracy 02/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The government of Honduras has committed to a work plan for protecting intellectual property rights that includes recognition of food names considered generic by the United States such as “parmesano” (parmesan), provolone and bologna, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced today. Other commitments include signal piracy related to cable and satellite, and a customs trademark registry.
TPP Is Obama’s Top Trade Priority For 2016 02/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is the Obama administration’s top trade priority this year, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said in its annual trade agenda released today. The agenda highlights intellectual property protection but also says all the right things on copyright limitations and exceptions, safe harbor for internet service providers, and the ability of countries to use flexibilities under international trade law.
Malawi Awaits Reviewed Copyright Law 02/03/2016 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Artists in Malawi are hopeful that the Copyright Bill, drafted four years ago, will be discussed when the parliament meets in the first quarter of this year, paving a way to plug unauthorised use of works that they say has led to massive loss of revenue.
CETA Legal Review Completed, Now Off To Parliaments And Governments For Approval 01/03/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Union and Canada have jointly announced the finalisation of the legal review for Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Interview With EPO President Battistelli: Investigations, Unitary Patent And Global Change 29/02/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The saga of fights between the President of the European Patent Office, Benoît Battistelli, and the trade union SUEPO goes on with a recent decision to fire two and degrade one member of the trade union. Demonstrations at both the Netherlands and the Munich sites of the EPO continue, and further divisions between the president and the EPO Administrative Council are being reported. Battistelli spoke with Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch in January about his view of the fight and about what else he has on his plate as he had decided to continue for one more term in office.
TTIP Negotiations: 12th Round Ends With Plan To Hurry Between Official Rounds 26/02/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments By July trade negotiators from the United States and the European Union want to present a draft text that only has brackets for the “most sensitive issues” in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). This was announced by Ignacio Bercero, chief negotiator for the European Union, and his US counterpart Dan Mullaney during a press conference today after this week’s 12th round of TTIP negotiations in Brussels.
IP And Innovation, Non-Violation Complaints On TRIPS Council Menu 26/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The now-familiar item of intellectual property and innovation is on the agenda for next week’s regular meeting of the intellectual property committee of the World Trade Organization. This time under the item, a range of developed countries have proposed to discuss education and diffusion, and Switzerland has put forward a paper on nurturing a culture of innovation.
Whistleblowers Detail Accountability Problems At The Top Of WIPO; US Congressional Members Prepare Actions 25/02/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments WASHINGTON, DC — A set of senior former employees of the World Intellectual Property Organization and their representatives yesterday gave detailed sworn testimony to US lawmakers on what they termed extremely serious misconduct and retaliation at the United Nations agency. A congressional subcommittee chairman told Intellectual Property Watch afterward that based on all they have heard, they believe WIPO Director General Francis Gurry has “gone rogue” and that action against him will begin immediately. The US State Department will be pressed to demand a copy of a newly completed UN investigation of Gurry that apparently has been shared with the Colombian Ambassador in Geneva, Gabriel Duque, who is chair of the WIPO General Assembly this year.
Companies Can Inoculate Themselves Against Patent Trolls Through Their Supply Chain 24/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The well-worn phrase “no man is an island” may reflect a fundamental truth about the human condition, but it also provides wisdom into how to protect your company against patent trolls, writes Tim Wilson.
Status Quo For WIPO Committee On Genetic Resources; Dialogue Ongoing To Unlock It 22/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The amiable mood which prevailed at the outset of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge meeting did not hold as negotiations on language of a potential treaty text to prevent misappropriation of genetic resources unearthed vivid divisions on the way to achieve such prevention. In addition, the participation of indigenous peoples is jeopardised by lack of funds, and the committee called for governments to help.