MSF Report Calls On Governments To Repair, Remodel Biomedical R&D 15/09/2016 by Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Governments are urged to do more to promote the development of desperately-needed new medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics at affordable prices and address the failures of research and development (R&D) in a new report by Médecins Sans Frontières.
WiFi Providers Can Be Forced To Require Passwords On Rightsholder Request, ECJ Rules 15/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Court of Justice today ruled that a shop offering Wifi is not liable for copyright infringements on its network but may be forced by rightsholders to require passwords to use the network. [Update: Reactions are being added below]
‘High Noon’ Showdown Hearing In US Over Internet Control 14/09/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Former US Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz today used a 3.5 hour hearing of a Senate subcommittee he chairs to attempt to scare the US Commerce Department National Telecommunications and Information Administration away at the last minute from its plans to transition out of its stewardship role for the internet root zone system.
WIPO Committee Approves Forbin As New Top Copyright Official 14/09/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The nomination of Sylvie Forbin of France to be the next head of copyright issues at the World Intellectual Property Organization was finalised yesterday as the WIPO Coordination Committee approved her appointment. She starts work at WIPO on Monday.
UN High-Level Panel On Access To Medicines Issues “Landmark” Report 14/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The long-awaited report by the United Nations High Level Panel on Access to Medicines was released today, making many recommendations. The panel calls for countries to embrace the policy space available in the World Trade Organization intellectual property rules, and invest more in health. It also calls for negotiation of a binding international treaty on research and development, delinking prices from R&D costs, greater transparency in drug pricing, public health impact assessments in free trade agreements, and encouragement to better use international legal tools available to countries to ensure affordable medical products. And it lays out the path ahead, calling for several new bodies to be created to take recommendations forward. [Note: story is being continuously updated during the day, now adding industry response]
European Commission Copyright Reform Proposal Sparks Many Jeers, Some Cheers 14/09/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments European Commission plans to overhaul EU copyright rules, officially published today, have prompted strong support and opposition. Controversy centres in particular around two proposals: The requirement that online services monitor against user-generated uploads of copyright-protected content, and the proposed grant of a “neighbouring right” to press publishers.
Judge’s Opinion That EU Is Competent To Ratify Marrakesh Treaty Might Break Standstill 14/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The European Union has exclusive competence to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired people, the advocate general of the Court of Justice of the EU has found. This conclusion, which was well-received by representatives of the visually impaired, could speed up the ratification of the treaty by the EU.
Group Of Nations Demand UN Investigative Report On WIPO Director 14/09/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments About a dozen members of the World Intellectual Property Organization yesterday demanded to be provided with a report conducted by the United Nations Office of Investigation and Oversight Services (OIOS) on allegations against the WIPO director general.
IP Judges In Developing Countries Hand-Tied By Local Laws, Justice Says 13/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Enforcement of intellectual property rights can be unbalanced in developing countries because local laws are crafted in a way that makes it difficult for judges to bring balance in their rulings, a former justice from South Africa told the World Intellectual Property Organization last week.
Kenya In Drive To Get Artisans, Designers To Embrace IP 13/09/2016 by Maina Waruru for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAIROBI, Kenya — At a market stall in Kariokor some 300 metres from Kenya’s capital Nairobi city centre, Stephen Musyoka is busy at work making covers for handwoven baskets, a traditional sisal fibre shopping basket known as Kiondo made by older women from different communities in Kenya.