TRIPS Council Debates Non-Violations, Innovation, Green Tech Transfer 12/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Whether countries can bring intellectual property complaints against each other under the World Trade Organization even if they don’t violate WTO rules was a topic of debate this week, but could not be resolved.
Small Farmers’ Rights Sidelined In Uganda’s Plant Breeding Regulation 12/06/2014 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In a country with over 35 million people, Uganda’s economy is based on agriculture. Over 80 percent of the country’s workforce is employed in the sector, contributing up to 23 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
UN Advisor Denounces Junk Food As ‘Culprit’ In Rising NCDs, Calls For Change 11/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Governments must assert the human right to health and take action against the massive rise in obesity globally, brought about by the widespread availability and pervasive marketing of unhealthy “junk” foods, Anand Grover, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health, urged today.
US Proposal Seeks To Allow Non-Violation Cases Under TRIPS Agreement 11/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States confirmed its opposition to an indefinite extension of a moratorium shielding the World Trade Organization agreement on intellectual property from non-violation complaints through a paper presented to WTO members meeting today.
Panels Highlight Community Participation In Development Of Technologies 11/06/2014 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch and Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment LAUSANNE – Community-driven innovation and technologies could be a solution for developing essential technologies to achieve sustainable development, according to a range of expert panels at a recent event. And in some cases, they already are.
African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) Joins UPOV 11/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Geneva-based Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) announced yesterday that the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) became its seventy-second member.
Nations Eye Amendments To PCT, WIPO’s Top Revenue-Earning Treaty 10/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Patent Cooperation Treaty is a cornerstone of the World Intellectual Property Organization and provides its main source of revenue. This week, a working group is gathered to explore proposed amendments to the treaty regulations, including fee reductions for developing countries, small businesses and non-profits.
Industry Offers Lessons In Deployment Of Technology In Developing Countries 10/06/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch and Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment LAUSANNE – Using their own experiences, a panel of technology industry representatives last week identified factors that could accelerate technology flows to developing countries.
Access To Vaccines, Patents Growing Concerns, Panellists Say 10/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment LYON, France – At the Biovision life science forum looking into translating innovation into health-related solutions last week, a panel of speakers shared their experience about the global access to vaccines. Although vaccination coverage is on the rise and intellectual property has not been a major concern in the past decade for vaccines, patents may well become a barrier in the future, panellists said.
Less Than Half The World Has Internet Access; Barriers, Disincentives Appearing, ISOC Finds 09/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The internet is expected to reach 3 billion people globally next year, but “much development work still remains to bring the economic and social benefits of the internet to all people and to make sure everyone has quality access” Kathy Brown, president and CEO of the Internet Society (ISOC), said on today’s release of ISOC’s first annual report on the state of the internet.