ECJ: Topographic Maps, Geographical Information And The Interpretation Of “Independent Material” 20/11/2015 by Marie Barani for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling on 29 October related to the definition of a “database,” more especially of the “independent material” constituting a database.
Strength In Unity: Mercosur Countries Join To Negotiate Lower Prices For Hepatitis C and HIV Drugs 18/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments South American countries are negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to obtain common cheaper prices for high-cost medicines. The first target of initial negotiations delivered lower prices for hepatitis C and HIV. Further negotiations will be geared to additional hepatitis C, HIV and oncology medicines.
Tech Transfer, Better Regulation, Policy Reform Can Spur Growth In East Africa’s Pharma Sector, Experts Say 18/11/2015 by Fredrick Nzwili for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment NAIROBI, Kenya — Amid concerns over cheap imports, substandard products and counterfeits, pharmaceutical experts in East Africa are set to hold a summit early next year to discuss key challenges facing the industry in the region. Experts at the event announcement in Nairobi today stressed that technology transfer, better regulation and policy reforms can accelerate growth and spur innovation in the sector.
New Proposal For Inclusion Of Disclosure Requirement In Design Treaty; Group B Still Not Takers 17/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The draft text of a treaty to help international designers apply for protection has been on the table at the World Intellectual Property Organization for some time, and has been under discussion again this week. Two questions have prevented its completion. One is whether technical assistance for developing countries should be part of the text, and the other is how to accommodate a request for a provision allowing countries to ask for disclosure of the origin of the design, to prevent misappropriation.
WIPO Innovation Panel: Low Economic Growth Not The ‘New Normal’ For Long 16/11/2015 by Marianna Drake for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Consensus emerged among a panel of top economists last week at the World Intellectual Property Organization that as economies become increasingly intangible they are more susceptible to repercussions on growth caused by a financial crisis. Yet the shift towards a knowledge economy brings with it promise of increased economic growth in the long term, they said.
WIPO IP Report: 3D Printing, Nanotechnology, Robotics – Next Ticket To Global Expansion? 12/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Nanotechnologies, 3D printing and robotics are areas of potential breakthrough technologies, and mostly happening in the most developed countries, with China catching up, a World Intellectual Property Organization report has found. Knowledge-sharing is an important factor of innovation, facilitated by intellectual property, according to the report. However, the world may have reached its innovation peak and may have to content with low economic growth.
Panel Looks At Patentability Criteria In Public Health 11/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent workshop on patentability criteria illustrated how countries are using the policy space provided by international trade rules to calibrate their patent law. In particular, incremental innovation remains a trying issue for national legislators, speakers said.
African Ministers IPR Conference Addresses Issues For African Creators 09/11/2015 by Sadibou Marone for Intellectual Property Watch and Babacar Dione for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment DAKAR, Senegal — The World Intellectual Property Organization 2015 African Ministerial Conference on Intellectual Property for Emerging Africa took place last week in Dakar, the Senegalese capital where around 50 ministers gathered as well as 200 participants. Among the many themes addressed, the conference called for better recognition of the rights of artists and creators. Musicians called for a strong musicians’ union to better defend their rights, advocating for a reform of African legislation on copyright. And Africa must boost its creativity and innovation to produce sports content by learning on what others are doing, panellists said.
Could Cross-Border Extended Collective Licensing Open Digital Treasure Troves? 09/11/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Libraries and archives are increasingly important in the digital era, but without better access to their vast reservoirs of data and materials for research and education, “we are going to lose out,” Anne Leer, World Intellectual Property Organization deputy director general, culture and creative industries sector, said at a conference hosted this week by the National Library of Sweden and Stockholm University. The 5-6 November event looked at whether cross-border copyright collective rights management might be an effective mechanism for accessing digital archives and libraries.
Well-Designed IP Systems Can Benefit Africa, Leaders Say; WIPO Director Urges Action 04/11/2015 by Sadibou Marone for Intellectual Property Watch and Babacar Dione for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment DAKAR, Senegal — As Africa is emerging to become a centre of economic growth, strong and well-developed national intellectual property systems can help the continent unlock its citizens’ creativity and innovation and further boost economic growth, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry said today in Dakar, the Senegalese capital where the African Ministerial Conference kicked off. Gurry was joined by top officials from a number of African nations.