AIDS Conference Campaigns For International Focus, Funding and Research 19/07/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The 18th International AIDS conference opened its doors in Vienna on Sunday with a purpose of keeping the HIV issue high among international priorities in the context of a global economic crisis, and to promote universal access to treatment.
Hopes Fading For Concluding Biodiversity Access And Benefit Sharing Negotiations? 16/07/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The clock was ticking with only a day to go in this week’s meeting of a UN working group on biodiversity trying to reach an agreement on a draft protocol text on access and benefit-sharing.
OECD Sees New Angle On Innovation For Growth, Social Challenges 16/07/2010 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Innovation is a key factor in economic growth but is not only about research as it is a system with many different interacting parts including R&D as one of those elements, a senior developed nations group representative said this week. Governments need to promote policies that integrate the cross-cutting nature of innovation and favour evidence based decision making, he said.
Brazil’s Discussion On Copyright Law Reform – Response To The Digital Era? 15/07/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Brazil is actively engaged in a cutting-edge debate over reform of its copyright law, involving issues such as the abuse of copyright holders and constructive exceptions in the law (like copying for education and/or transformative purposes and authorisation to copy by libraries and museums to preserve their works). But the government needs to hear from all interested parties – especially the artists – and avoid letting the debate transform into a political-ideological discussion, writes Brazilian lawyer Manuela Correia Botelho Colombo.
New Climate Technologies Rarely Reaching Developing Countries, Panel Says 13/07/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Climate-friendly technologies are only rarely being transferred to developing countries, and then primarily to a small handful of emerging market economies, said the findings of a study presented today. That the changing global climate requires urgent response, and that this response will most likely include technology, is largely agreed. But what role intellectual property rights play in making sure that technology exists and is available is still not yet fully understood.
Panel: Copyright Needed In Music, But Should Benefit Musicians 12/07/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments Copyright is critical to the survival of the music industry and its creators, but lack of respect for copyright is not why artists are struggling to make ends meet, argued a recent panel of media lawyers and music industry experts. The blame for that lies squarely on the corporate-focus of the music industry, and how it has bent copyright law to serve companies rather than composers, said a panel at the University of Westminster.
US Rightsholders Seek Narrower Scope Of ACTA, Clarity On Trademark Infringement Vs. Counterfeiting 10/07/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Many of the 11 negotiating partners of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) for years have underlined that the new anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy agreement will not change their national laws, with the United States and the European Union especially firm on this point. Yet the Washington, DC-based Intellectual Property Owners’ Association (IPO) in a recent letter, here, to the US Trade Representative stated concern that ACTA “potentially change(s) United States law by transforming what are the commonly occurring non-counterfeit-types of civil action infringements into activity that is to be punished under federal criminal law.”
UN Biodiversity Talks Resume, Last Chance For Agreement Before October Deadline 09/07/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The last chance to complete discussions and reach an agreement on a draft protocol text on access and benefit-sharing is given to member parties of the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) next week. The protocol is intended to provide a new international tool for governments against piracy of genetic resources.
Monsanto Soybean Patent Cannot Stretch To Processed Soy Meal, European Court Says 07/07/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Yesterday, the European Court of Justice ruled in a case pitching Monsanto against European importers of Argentinean soy meal, denying the US seed giant intellectual property rights over the exports of soy meal from Argentina to the European Union.
WHO Flu Misconduct Debate Polarising As Independent Review Advances 07/07/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments “Exactly a year ago, a very bad decision was taken” by the World Health Organization that now seems “unscientific and irrational,” said Council of Europe parliamentarian Paul Flynn in a late June presentation of a new report on the WHO’s actions during the 2009 influenza pandemic. But opinions heard at an ongoing review of the WHO’s pandemic response were mixed, with some praising the organisation’s work to protect public health and others critiquing what they say is suspicious secrecy.