New ARIPO Plant Protocol: Conflict Of Farmers’ And Breeders’ Rights? 10/07/2015 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments KAMPALA, UGANDA — Member states of African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) have adopted a protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants. The measure is aimed at modernising African agricultural practices, but some say it comes at the expense of age-old traditional farming practices, such as saving and re-using seed.
Paper: Commons Approach To European Knowledge Policy Could Yield Better Outcomes 09/07/2015 by Ani Mamikon for Intellectual Property Watch and Rishi Dhir for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new paper released earlier this month finds that the commons perspective, which embraces knowledge as a shared resource and its management a joint responsibility, could contribute to EU policy discussions and yield better policy outcomes in areas such as health, environment, science and culture, and the internet.
African Civil Society: Disillusionment, Mistrust In Bonn 10/06/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment We, the African civil society organisations participating in the Bonn Climate Change Conference, are gravely concerned about the progress of negotiations and wish to express our utmost disillusionment on the mistrust reigning the corridors of the new World Conference Centre here in Bonn.
Climate Change Headlines G7; Merkel Commits To Conclude TTIP During Obama’s Term 09/06/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment MUNICH — The agreement of the heads of states of the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany to reduce global warning to less than two degrees made the biggest headlines of the G7 Summit on Elmau Castle, Germany, in the Bavarian Alps. Also agreed were commitments on trade and on public health, including research and development for neglected diseases.
Alternative Summit Offers Ideas For Trade Agreements, G7, Amid 40,000 Protesters 05/06/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments MUNICH — Just days before leaders of the Group of 7 (G7) industrialised countries gather in the well-guarded Bavarian Castle Elmau, a broad coalition of organisations invited free trade critics to an International Summit for Alternatives in Munich. Speaking there, Jean Ziegler, well-known former UN rapporteur for the right to food, shrugged off the possible effects of the G7 Summit.
Report: Patent Activity At A High But Decline In Scientific Research Could Show Innovation Slowing 04/06/2015 by Eimear Murphy for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Patent activity is currently at an all-time high, with statistics showing large growth across industry sectors in the volume of patents being filed. However, the production of scientific literature is declining, according to a new report from Thomson Reuters.
Diplomatic Conference On Inclusion Of GIs In WIPO Treaty Kicks Off Next Week 07/05/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Geographical indications might gain stronger international protection through the amendment of a 28-member World Intellectual Property Organization-administered treaty protecting appellations of origin. The high-level negotiating meeting taking place next week will consider pending issues in hopes of completing the landmark change. Here is your guide to the issues.
Harmonised Filing System For Plant Variety Protection Discussed At UPOV 16/04/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An industry proposal calling for a harmonised procedure to simplify applications for new varieties of plants and heighten intellectual property protection stirred debate at the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) last month.
Interrelations Between Plant Treaty, UPOV, WIPO, Farmers’ Rights – Do They Equate? 02/04/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Farmers’ rights are enshrined in the international plant treaty. However, their implementation is an ongoing issue, which the plant treaty is seeking to address by looking at the interrelation that might exist with other international instruments. Separately, civil society is asserting that the World Intellectual Property Organization favours the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) in its technical assistance. But the WIPO Director General countered that this is decidedly not the case.
EPO Backs Patents On Conventional Plants: Broccoli, Tomato Cases Decided 01/04/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 12 Comments The highest court of the European Patent Office has declared that plants or seeds obtained through conventional breeding methods are patentable.