WIPO To Proceed On Broadcasting Treaty Talks Without Webcasting 05/05/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Negotiators at the World Intellectual Property Organization today scheduled another meeting on a proposed broadcasters’ rights treaty before deciding whether to recommend a full negotiation. They also took the significant step of putting an unpopular proposal to include webcasting in the treaty on a separate, later negotiating track. The conclusion of the five-day meeting of […]
India, Brazil, Peru Set To Propose TRIPS Amendment On Biodiversity 05/05/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A group of countries led by Brazil, India and Peru has indicated that it intends to present a text relating to the discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on biodiversity “in days, not weeks” suggesting an amendment to current trade law, sources say. Brazil, India and Peru confirmed that they informed the WTO Trade […]
Yale Conference Invigorates Access To Knowledge Movement 04/05/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (US)–A late April conference at prestigious Yale University Law School gave new focus and momentum to a growing movement aimed at protecting the public’s right to access knowledge. The effort seeks to slow years of momentum in the direction of ever-stronger and wider-reaching intellectual property rights seen as moving ever-greater amounts of […]
WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Talks Off To Slow Start As Opponents Grow 02/05/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the second day of a weeklong meeting at World Intellectual Property Organization on copyright issues, there is little indication so far whether member governments will recommend the full negotiation of a treaty boosting the protection of broadcasts, according to participants. At stake in the 1-5 May meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyrights and […]
Pfizer Fights IP Flexibilities In The Philippines 30/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The world’s largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, is suing the Philippine government for having imported and registered – but not marketed – a product that is still under patent. At the same time, industry is said to be lobbying against a bill under consideration in the Philippines that would introduce more flexibilities into the country’s intellectual […]
WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee Snags Over Future Work 28/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Negotiators addressing proposals for the protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions (folklore) and genetic resources ran aground over whether to address potentially legal text before completing work on objectives and principles. The committee will meet again on 4-12 December 2006, at the halfway point of its two-year mandate. Written comments on the committee activity […]
WHO Meeting Forwards IP Resolution To May World Health Assembly 28/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A committee representing the World Health Organization executive board today added more recommendations to a draft resolution based on a recent WHO intellectual property report, many of which were expressed by developing countries and Kenya in particular. Brazil also made some proposals to include language referring to flexibilities in international trade law that may be […]
WHO Draft Resolution Calls For Global Plan Of Action On IP And Medicines 27/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A draft resolution from the World Health Organization based on a recent WHO report on intellectual property rights and public health calls for “a global plan of action,” particularly with regard to diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. The resolution requests three steps from the director general: First, to prepare the global plan of action […]
“Mini-EB” WHO Meeting This Week Will Discuss IP Report, Resolution 26/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In preparation for the World Health Assembly in May, a group representing the World Health Organization (WHO) executive board will meet this week to discuss a recent WHO report on intellectual property rights and public health as well as a draft resolution based on the report developed by the WHO. “It is a kind of […]
Nations Urge Legally Binding Biodiversity Outcome At WIPO 25/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New and Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Developing country members of the World Intellectual Property Organization this week are demanding that a key committee on genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore be mandated to agree on a legally binding international instrument for the protection of these areas. But the demand is unlikely to be […]