Informal And Formal Seed Systems, Usually Enemies, Can It Be Otherwise? 27/06/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Can the farmer seed system most widely used in the world, and the system of seeds produced by plant breeders certified and protected by intellectual property rights, be complementary? The question was addressed during a recent webinar organised by the Global Forum on Agricultural Research, with no easy answers. In particular, speakers mentioned several challenges, including the lack of a common agreement on what are farmers’ rights, and the inability for small farmers to register their seeds so they are protected, in particular against biopiracy.
At WIPO, Water Entrepreneurs Meet Investors 13/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Entrepreneurs with innovative water technologies came to the World Intellectual Property Organization last week to find new partnerships and investors. The urgent need to work together and build partnerships in the water sector was the overall message of the event. “Nobody can do the work alone,” Nicholas Niggli, Republic & State of Geneva’s Director General, Economic Development, Research & Innovation, said, referring to the many existing water challenges.
REGISTER NOW! The Global Debate On Intellectual Property, Trade And Development: Past, Present and Future 05/06/2017 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Global Debate on Intellectual Property, Trade and Development: Past, Present and Future A Conference in Honour of Pedro Roffe
WIPO Hosts Event To Boost Entrepreneurship, Investment In Safe Water Technology 05/06/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An unusual meeting is taking place at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week, bringing together entrepreneurs in water and sanitation technology and business models with prospective investors, including clean-tech venture capitalists, private equity and corporate investors.
WHO Asked To Square Its Position On Herbicide; EU Evaluation Seen As Flawed 31/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Does glyphosate, better known under its brand name RoundUp, increase the risk of cancer in humans, or not? Yesterday, some World Health Organization members, while hailing a draft resolution on cancer later adopted, underlined a lack of coordination on glysophate between the WHO and its agency for cancer research. Separately, a renowned scientist sent a letter to European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, saying the evaluations on the herbicide are flawed, and should be done again to safeguard public health.
Decision On Pandemic Flu Framework At WHA: Look Closer At Changes 26/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A committee at the World Health Assembly yesterday decided to seek a closer look at consequences of potential changes to the WHO framework on pandemic influenza. The decision, still to be confirmed by the World Health Assembly, requires in-depth analysis of how to handle pandemic flu viruses under the framework, whether the framework should cover seasonal influenza, and whether the framework should become a specialised international instrument on access and benefit-sharing.
QUNO Briefs: Food Security Needs Farmers In Global Discussions, Agricultural Biodiversity 21/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The participation of small-scale farmers at the table of international negotiations and the protection of agricultural biodiversity are key to food security, according to the Quaker United Nations Office, which published last month two policy briefs with a list of recommendations.
African Civil Society, Farmers Demand ARIPO Lift Blackout On Protocol Protecting Plant Varieties 20/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Civil society and farmers allege communication blackout from by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) about a protocol protecting new plant varieties. The 2015 protocol was highly criticised by those organisations as endangering traditional practices of African farmers. Draft regulations could not be adopted in December, but the regional organisation, according to the civil society and farmer groups, is keeping the outcome of the December meeting secret.
UPOV This Week Focused On International Cooperation System; Benin Curiously Ratifies Twice 05/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) governing body is meeting this week, along with its technical, and consultative committees. On the agenda is a potential international system of cooperation, disputed by civil society. Separately, Benin, a least-developed country, appears to be in the process of ratifying the UPOV convention, raising questions since a regional organisation of which Benin is part already joined UPOV in 2014.
WHO Flu Framework Looks At Virus Genetic Information Sharing, Private Sector Contribution 28/03/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments How to deal with genetic information rather than physical samples of pandemic influenza virus continues to be discussed at the World Health Organization. For the moment, only physical samples are part of a framework of access and benefit sharing set up and run by the WHO. This week, the framework advisory group is meeting and according to sources, suggested steps to establish guidance on how to address virus genetic information will be shared by the WHO during the meeting.