Switzerland Most Innovative Economy, Global Divide Persists, Says WIPO/INSEAD Index 03/07/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Global Innovation Index 2012 launched today by the World Intellectual Property Organization and INSEAD shows a clear innovation divide in world economies. It advises countries to maintain their efforts to support and foster innovation despite the lingering economic crisis, as a key element of sustainable growth.
A Bigger, Meaner Patent War 25/06/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It’s been called a patent war, and it’s raging over much of the globe. In at least ten countries – including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and South Korea – Apple is locked in ferocious legal battles against Google, Samsung and HTC over whose smartphones and tablets infringe whose patents. There’s a lot a stake: Damages could run into billions of dollars. Even worse, the loser could wind up being forbidden to sell its products in various markets. This costly, high-stakes global patent war may seem unprecedented. But according to many experts, that’s only partly true. In many ways, this patent war is similar to major patent disputes in the past. And it is likely a foretaste of more patent wars in the future.
Music Publishers, Universal Sign “Groundbreaking” Licence Deal 19/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A trade association representing music publishers and songwriters today announced a model licensing deal with Universal Music Group that is expected to allow songwriters and publishers to share in the revenue from music videos. Universal is the first record label to make such an agreement, parties said.
Study Finds EU Copyright Law Harms Investment In Cloud Computing 19/06/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A technology industry-friendly economic study released today found that changes to European copyright laws in recent years have negatively impacted venture capitalists’ investments in cloud computing companies. This followed several French and German court rulings, it said.
Compulsory Licences Positive For The South, With Conditions, Study Finds 31/05/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Compulsory licences can provide an efficient way to decrease prices of drugs in developing countries but the conditions of issuance of a licence influence the benefits countries can derive from them, particularly if the countries have a technology gap, according to an economic model presented this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
World Health Assembly: Agreement Reached On Neglected Disease R&D Process, But No Convention 25/05/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments A proposal at this week’s World Health Assembly to negotiate a binding convention on research and development for neglected diseases – those predominantly afflicting poor populations – ran into resistance from developed countries which hold the view that another approach might be possible. But an agreement was reached on a way forward for the expert report that recommended the binding convention.
World Health Assembly: Latest Texts Of R&D Drafting Group 25/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The latest available documents of the closed-door meeting addressing recommendations on ways to finance neglected diseases largely afflicting developing countries show progress heading into this afternoon’s session. They reflect efforts to agree on how to take the process forward, including agreement reached last night on putting the issue to regional groups later this year.
World Health Assembly: R&D Drafting Group Documents Show Country Differences 24/05/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A set of documents in use by today’s closed-door negotiations on research and development for neglected diseases at the World Health Assembly lay out the core differences between WHO members. Negotiations are expected to last into the night as members try to agree on how to take forward recommendations from a key report – including to negotiate a binding convention on R&D for diseases left behind in the marketplace.
World Health Assembly: Drafting Group Works To Combine Proposals On R&D 24/05/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A drafting group has embarked on the task of combining four different proposals on the table at the annual World Health Assembly aimed at financing research and development for neglected diseases mostly afflicting poorer populations.
WHO Members To Address Proposals For Financing Developing Country R&D 22/05/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of the World Health Organization at their annual meeting tomorrow will address proposals for ways to finance research and development for diseases which afflict mainly developing countries but for which there are not lucrative markets.