Mixed Reactions To Leaked Section Of Key UK IP Report 29/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen While the music industry said it is a “big disappointment” that the United Kingdom will not extend copyright protection to sound recordings beyond its current 50 years as stated in a leaked section of a draft government-commissioned report, those in favour of content entering the public domain welcomed it. The […]
Proposal Could Create New Biotech Benefits In WHO Public Medicine System 27/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The biotechnology industry has proposed to change the international generic naming of medicine ingredients, which at the moment are public property, into unique names for each medicine, making it harder to substitute them with cheaper versions, and linking them to trademarks, sources say. A powerful industry coalition submitted a joint […]
US-Russia Bilateral/WTO Deal Pushes New Standards For IP Protection 24/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New In its bilateral negotiation with the United States in order to join the World Trade Organization, Russia appears to have agreed to intellectual property rights standards that push those of the WTO and US law to new levels. IP issues have been a top priority for the United States in recent years […]
EU TV Without Frontiers Directive Still A Lobbyist Target But May End Up A ‘Soup Hen’ 22/11/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch In the second week of December, the European Parliament will hear the first reading of the “modernised” Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF) that will stretch into the world of online content – hence to become the Audiovisual Media Directive. The directive is intended to adapt European Union-wide rules […]
Australia Eyes No-Fault Copyright Infringement Offences 17/11/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Australia is poised to become the first country to make copyright infringement a “no-fault” offence, a move aimed at broadening criminal penalties for infringement. The change is part of sweeping revisions intended to bring Australia’s Copyright Act 1968 into the digital age and compliance with the Australia-United States […]
Consultation On WHO IP Group Shows Polarised Debate; Challenge For Group 16/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Submissions to the World Health Organization (WHO) online public consultation on the intergovernmental working group on public health, innovation and intellectual property show that the debate is quite polarised, and that the group is therefore in for a challenge. Among the nearly 30 submissions posted to the WHO website within […]
Views Mixed On WTO Doha Declaration On Public Health After Five Years 16/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A panel of key Geneva actors on policy related to intellectual property rights and public health on 14 November gave a range of views on the World Trade Organization Doha Declaration five years after its agreement. Several non-governmental groups and a developing country official saw some benefits but raised concerns about future […]
Sources: Internal Memo Suggests Shift In WHO Handling Of US Criticism 10/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A World Health Organization (WHO) director has taken the unusual step of writing a memorandum directly to the head of the WHO, seeking clarity on the organisation’s handling of a United States complaint involving WHO staff, according to anonymous sources. The memo was prompted by concern that the organisation is […]
Hamadoun Touré Of Mali Elected ITU Secretary-General 10/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Development and Internet governance issues may have gotten a boost at the United Nations International Telecommunication Union today as members elected Hamadoun Touré of Mali to be the next Secretary-General. Touré has been director of the ITU Telecommunications Development Bureau since 1999. In a third round of voting on 10 November, Touré […]
European Commission Debates Neglected Disease Effort – Outside The IP System 09/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen BRUSSELS – When the European Commission’s plan to include neglected diseases in its next research programme was debated at a conference here, intellectual property rights played a rather small role. This is a good sign, the Commission said, but some participants disagreed. The 8-9 November international conference on neglected infectious […]