Members Of Human Rights Expert Committee At UN Question Patents On Food 07/08/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments A group of experts working as a think-tank for the United Nations Human Rights Council raised the issue of patents and food at a meeting this week. Meanwhile, a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food expected to be available at the end of August will focus on the intersection between intellectual property and the human right to food.
Congress Members Seek Permanent ICANN-US Link 05/08/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A group of US congressional members have sent a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke calling for a temporary arrangement between the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (which manages technical aspects of the internet domain name system) to be made permanent. The joint project agreement between […]
ECOSOC Wraps Up With Discussion Of Environmental Governance Framework 04/08/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The influential United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ended its 2009 substantive session on 31 July, after a month-long coordinating body meeting in Geneva which yielded resolutions on several topics such as public health, science and technology, human rights, environment and sustainable development issues.
Financial Services, Patent Experts Seek More Certainty On Business-Method Patents, Bilski Case 31/07/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments NEW YORK – Patent lawyers from financial services companies and other firms this week said they are hopeful that change at the US Patent and Trademark Office will bring solutions to their concerns with the business method patents, application backlogs, patent quality problems, transparency and other issues.
US Supreme Court Review Of Bilski Could Reverberate Through Patent System 31/07/2009 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Last October, a United States appellate court shifted the country’s patent law dramatically, moving the nation closer to other countries’ standards on what inventions can be patented. The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (often called America’s “patent court”) overruled its own seminal precedent and sharply cut back on the types of methods and processes that are eligible for patent protection. The ruling put thousands of patents under a cloud, including many business method patents and financial method patents. This controversial ruling will soon be reviewed by the US Supreme Court. The resulting decision in Bilski v. Doll could become a milestone in US patent law, with repercussions around the world.
Proponents Fight To Keep IP Issues At High Level At WTO 30/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With governments looking to close the long-stalled Doha Round of trade liberalisation talks in 2010, what will happen to remaining disagreements on intellectual property issues is still unclear. But proponents of amending the World Trade Organization intellectual property agreement reasserted the need to have them addressed.
USPTO Nominee Kappos Appears To Clear First Senate Hurdle 29/07/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday appeared to look favourably upon David Kappos, the Obama administration nominee for undersecretary of Commerce and director of the US Patent and Trademark Office. But in the process, Kappos showed possible weaknesses in separating himself from his job at IBM and the need for international diplomacy on IP enforcement.
Rumoured New US Ambassador To UN In Geneva A Major Obama Fundraiser 29/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 1 Comment A Northern California academic and a top national fundraiser for President Obama may be the next US ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, according to sources. Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, wife of eBay CEO and President John Donahoe, holds a law degree, two master’s degrees and a PhD in a variety of subjects, and is rumoured to be the nominee for the post empty since January.
OMPI : examen à la loupe du projet de programme et de budget 2010-2011 29/07/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Cette semaine, les États membres de l’Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle (OMPI) ont procédé à un examen minutieux du projet de programme et de budget pour l’exercice 2010-2011 proposé par le Secrétariat de l’Organisation, le premier à refléter entièrement le réalignement stratégique que Francis Gurry, son directeur général, entend opérer au sein de cette institution spécialisée de l’ONU.
ECOSOC Adopts Resolutions On Digital Divide, HIV/AIDS, But Hurdles Remain 29/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this week is concluding a month-long coordinating body meeting in Geneva by adopting resolutions on a range of public policy issues such as internet connectivity, science and technology, and HIV/AIDS.