NAFTA Second Round Ends With Unspecified “Important” Progress, Single Consolidated Text 06/09/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Ministers from Mexico, Canada and the United States concluded the second weeklong round of negotiations for an updated North American Free Trade Agreement in the past four weeks, and claimed progress on “important” issues and the shaping of a text with some 24 chapters. But the government officials offered no specifics to the public.
US Lobby Group Fights China’s Inclusion Of Generic Food Names In EU GI Deal 28/08/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment China and the European Union appear to be on track to complete a deal on geographical indications that could include protection of some 100 products each from the EU and China. Comments have been received on the proposed list and are undergoing translation. Among them, a United States lobby group said the list for China to protect unfairly includes several generic food names that should not belong solely to the EU.
US Issues Spate Of Trade Announcements, With IP In The Foreground 22/08/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment With much of the rest of the western world on holidays, the Office of the United States Trade Representative spent this month in meetings and issuing statements about improving international trade conditions for the US. Over the past two weeks, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and other senior officials have been involved in activities with Canada and Mexico (under renegotiation of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA), Japan, South Korea, and China.
Six Inconvenient Truths About NAFTA Renegotiations 21/07/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement’s (NAFTA’s) standards on patents is not good news for Canada. Any give by Canada will be costly not only to our health care system, but also to Canadian innovators, write Jean-Frédéric Morin and Richard Gold.
USTR Puts IP Focus In Digital Trade In NAFTA Renegotiation Objectives 18/07/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In its newly issued objectives for renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has put a strong focus on protecting and exploiting intellectual property rights in the digital environment.
G20: 19 Against 1 On Climate Change; Affordable Antimicrobials, Vaccines Planned 08/07/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The G20 governments against some odds passed a joint communique today, but had to accept differences on climate and in one point also on free trade. The US delegation remained firm in their decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and continue to support conventional energy resources, instead of renewable ones. German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her press conference explained that there was a clear division in the climate chapter of the G20 2017 Declaration.
G20 Reaches Agreement Against Terrorism, Appears To Target Encryption 07/07/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments At the G20 meeting in Hamburg today, the German hosts chose a retreat over the fight against terrorism as a warm-up, before turning to the controversial topics of free trade and climate change. Governments were very much in agreement when it comes to one thing: Internet platform providers must do more to fight radicalization and the use of the internet by terrorists.
G20: Security, Trade, Climate, Trump Diplomacy Overshadow Health, IT, Innovation 07/07/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the eve of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, German politicians described positions on free trade and climate as the most difficult issues. Expectations from civil society groups in the G20 results are modest at best and the 6 July protest march “Welcome to Hell” was cancelled after clashes between the police and parts of the protestors.
Top 5 IP Offices Advance Patent Harmonisation 02/06/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Celebrating their tenth anniversary of working together, the intellectual property offices of Europe, Japan, Korea, China and the United States today concluded a meeting of the so-called IP5 by announcing efforts to further harmonise their patent practices. This includes measures affecting global instruments like the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
EU Trade Politicians Consider Picking Up Pieces Of Trade Negotiations 02/06/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment European Union trade politicians and their counterparts from the United States need more time to consider next steps in their trade relations, EU trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said during a session with the trade committee of the European Parliament this week. At the same time, she reported that Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) negotiating partners have been turning to Europe to make headway. Meanwhile, former EU Justice Commissioner and member of the European Parliament, Viviane Reding, called for a counter-offensive to rising protectionism.