Indigenous Groups Allege Canadian Obstructionism To Biodiversity ABS Protocol 21/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – With the clock ticking and less than a day to go before a draft of a legally binding instrument to prevent biopiracy is due to be presented to the assembly of a major United Nations meeting on biodiversity, delegations kept trying to find acceptable language, with different echoes coming from the negotiating room. Meanwhile, Canadian indigenous people convened a press briefing today (21 October) to charge that Canada was trying to block the negotiations and deny their human rights.
NGOs: Biopiracy Ongoing As Governments Slowly Negotiate International Instrument 21/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – Discussions on a draft protocol to prevent biopiracy were intense again on Wednesday, with night sessions going late as delegation try to find common language on a legally binding instrument. Around the discussions, undertaken mostly behind closed doors, side events convened by civil society are warning about numerous cases of biopiracy, and the urgent need for a meaningful protocol.
Minister: India Anticipates European Fix To Law Delaying Generics Shipments 20/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Europe has promised at the “highest levels” to fix laws that caused generic medicine seizures in the Netherlands, the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry said today. The minister is in Geneva for meetings on the ongoing Doha Round trade liberalisation talks at the World Trade Organization.
Copyright Industry Makes Pitch For Economic Benefit Of Anti-Piracy In Developing Countries 20/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Copyright law is not always a barrier to access to knowledge, but lack of adequate or predicable copyright enforcement in developing countries can prevent the evolution of their own local creative industries, said several representatives from such industries yesterday.
WHO Moves IP, Innovation Out Of Director General’s Office 19/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization has moved responsibility for intellectual property and innovation issues out of the direct control of the WHO director general and into the company of information, evidence and research, according to sources.
Delegates See UN Protocol Against Biopiracy Within Reach 19/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – Prospects for completing and approving a protocol protecting natural resources from biopiracy and providing equitable sharing of benefits derived from the commercial use of those resources are promising, according to delegates. But hard negotiations lie ahead if they are to meet a deadline to present an agreed draft protocol to the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) by the end of this week.
US Attorney General In China Talks Tough, Blurs Line, On IP 19/10/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Attorney General Eric Holder today called on other governments to join in intensifying the fight against intellectual property infringement, on the theme that, “intellectual property crimes are not victimless.” But his law enforcement argument may need finessing to reach all stakeholders.
WTO Paragraph 6 Meeting Aims At Improved Use Of Health Waiver 16/10/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The agenda has been circulated for the upcoming annual World Trade Organization review of an amendment to international IP trade law that has so far failed to increase access to needed medicines for the poorest economies. It shows a deeper look at existing measures and opens the possibility of new solutions to the issue.
WIPO Returns To Substantive Patent Law Talks After 5 Years, With Balance 16/10/2010 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization today agreed on the first work programme for the committee on patent law in nearly five years. The delicate accord, reached after a long week of mostly closed negotiations, was quickly hailed by some as reflecting a new reality for the international patent system with stronger recognition of emerging economies’ interests.
As Negotiators Launch Talks On Biodiversity, Industry Requests IP Protection 15/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment This week, global attention will be focussed on hopes to reach an international agreement aimed at giving the world a better chance to reduce the loss of biodiversity and ensure benefits are being shared. Intellectual Property Watch will be in Nagoya, Japan to report on the negotiations.