To What Extent Can Global IP Rules Be Responsive To Public Interest Demands? The Case Of The Treaty For The Visually Impaired 14/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment To what extent can global intellectual property rules address in an effective manner the needs of the most vulnerable members of society? This is the key question with which member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) are faced as they prepare to meet next week for a diplomatic conference, in Marrakesh, that should result in the adoption of a treaty to facilitate access to copyrighted works by visually impaired persons and persons with print disabilities.
Poland’s Minister Of Culture Calls For Intellectual Property Courts 14/06/2013 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski has called on the country’s Ministry of Justice to create and integrate intellectual property courts into the country’s legal system. Under the plan, the new entities would become departments of regular courts, and they would be solely responsible for handling cases involving intellectual property, including disputes related to authors’ rights, trademarks and patents.
UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution Promoting Medicines Access 13/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Nations Human Rights Council today adopted a resolution urging governments to encourage technology development and transfer and to apply intellectual property rights measures in ways that avoid creating barriers to trade in “affordable, safe, efficacious and quality medicines.” The resolution includes references to IP flexibilities in international trade law and to “delinkage” of R&D costs with the price of health products.
UK Intellectual Property Office Seeks Comment On Copyright Exceptions 13/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Draft legislation updating UK copyright exceptions is out for comment, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has said.
WHO Updates Guidance For Pandemic Flu Risk Management 13/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Health Organization (WHO) has released an updated guidance document on pandemic influenza risk management, which includes the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits that was discussed by member states during the 66th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May.
Interview With Tanja Rajić: The Impact Of EU Enlargement On Trademark Practice In Croatia 13/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Ten years after applying for membership, Croatia is finally joining the European Union on 1 July 2013. Tanja Rajić, senior associate at PETOSEVIC, explains how six years of accession negotiations and the adoption of the acquis communautaire have affected intellectual property protection in Croatia and prepared it for becoming a member state.
WTO TRIPS Council: Discussion Of Innovation Shows Divergent Views; Tobacco Back On Agenda 13/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The impact of intellectual property rights on the transfer of ‘green’ technology was brought up to the World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property this week with divided points of view. In addition, a discussion on cost-effective innovation was criticised by some developing countries as side-tracking the committee’s objectives, and the European Union’s planned revision of its tobacco products directive was disapproved by some producer countries.
LDCs Obtain New Waiver On IP Obligations At WTO, Take It As A Limited Victory 12/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments World Trade Organization members this week agreed to give least-developed countries an extra eight years to implement international intellectual property protection rules. The decision received a broad support among countries, with some voicing reservations about the negotiation process.
Geneva Study Finds ‘Evergreening’ Increases Healthcare Costs 12/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A recent Geneva-based study found that so-called evergreening practices utilised by drug manufacturers are successful in protecting profits by maintaining company market share and offsetting generic competition and cost containment policies.
Mass Surveillance No Surprise To Many In Technology And Politics 12/06/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Revelations about boundless spying by the National Security Agency and other US agencies on the electronic communications of US and non-US citizens are rippling international politics and will be a surprise topic at the upcoming Group of 8 summit in Dublin. But the more savvy technical community has been slow to react. There is some speculation about the technical solutions used and even less call for action. For many, quite obviously, the state surveillance does come as a surprise at least because of its scope.