Stronger IP Rights In EU-Korea FTA: Precedent For Future FTAs? 20/02/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments A European Parliament majority this week approved a free trade agreement with Korea with strong provisions on intellectual property rights protection, according to Robert Stury, rapporteur of the lead EP Committee on the dossier.
WHO, WTO, WIPO Combine Forces To Improve Patent Information For Public Health 18/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Patents and public health are sometimes seen as a mismatch, but three prominent international organisations today stepped up their collaboration on ways to facilitate access to medicines by making a better use of the patent system. Effective, reliable and transparent information on patents is necessary to help decision-makers take the best public health approaches for global health coverage, panellists said.
WIPO Could Enter Growing Fray Over Internet Domain Takedowns 17/02/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An influential private sector trademark defender is proposing to the World Intellectual Property Organization to undertake creation of an international “notice and takedown” system for alleged online trademark infringers. And he told Intellectual Property Watch that this will be followed in a few months by a separate proposal for a “notice-and-trackdown” article requiring internet service providers to divulge information about online counterfeiters so they can be gone after.
Brazil And The Defence Of Public Health: Do As I Say, Not As I Do 17/02/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A recent decision issued by Advocacia-Geral da União (Advocacy-General of the Union) restricts the role performed by Anvisa – the National Agency for Health Surveillance – in examining pharmaceutical patent applications. This may represent a huge setback for commitments made by Brazilian government related to the protection of public health, writes Felipe Carvalho.
WTO GI Discussions Gather Speed, Parties Watchful Until Negotiations 15/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The international protection of wines and spirits named after geographical locations has seen renewed attention at the World Trade Organization since the beginning of the year as part of a push to conclude the Doha Round of trade liberalisation. Legal effects and costs of a register for such wines and spirits were addressed last week.
Economist: Breadth Of Patent Portfolio Better Than Betting On One Winner 11/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Determining the value of patented inventions is akin to a guessing game, said a speaker at the World Intellectual Property Organization yesterday. Companies should try to spread their patents over related technological innovations rather focusing on one patent, hoping it will be “the philosopher’s stone”.
Pharma Backs Calls For Extension Of TRIPS Deadline For Least-Developed Countries 10/02/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Developed country pharmaceutical companies today announced their support for an extension of the deadline for poor countries to comply with a global trade agreement on intellectual property rights that would significantly raise their obligations to protect IP. The extension idea has been proposed by the United Kingdom government in a new trade strategy document.
New White House IP Advisory Committees Elevate IP Enforcement To Highest Level 10/02/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments US President Barack Obama this week used an executive order to create two government advisory committees on intellectual property rights enforcement. The committees put IP rights at the highest interagency level possible and have the stated aim of promoting innovation through the protection of such rights.
International Patent Filings Begin To Bounce Back; China Rocketing, US At Half-Mast 09/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The storm appears to be subsiding for international patent filings as 2010 showed a cautious recovery in growth, the head of the World Intellectual Property Organization said today. After the first-ever drop in applications in 2009, 2010 filings almost returned to their 2008 level. And China holds pole position in growth numbers.
Veto Power For Governments Against Any Internet Domain Name? 08/02/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The United States Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is proposing possible veto power for governments against applications for new top-level domains. NTIA is asking for a change to domain name system management that would allow governments to object to any proposed internet address for any reason, which has not surprisingly stirred debate among some observers, including in Europe.