Public Forum Debate On WTO’s Future Touches On IP Issues 02/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The implementation process of global intellectual property rules was debated at a recent World Trade Organization public forum, which focused on the overall future of the organisation. According to the WTO, the 25-26 September forum drew some 1,000 participants from civil society who are not normally taking the centre stage […]
Questions Raised Over Proposed WIPO Secretariat Deals With FAO, IDB 01/10/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization has negotiated cooperation agreements with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is seeking approval of its member countries at this week’s annual General Assembly. But at least one country, Brazil, has questioned on whose authority WIPO negotiated the arrangements, […]
Agreement Reached On WIPO Development Agenda, Patents; No Broadcasting Yet 30/09/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New Government negotiators at the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly have reached tentative agreement on the future of a proposed agenda for development, and for discussing global patent harmonisation. But key hurdles remain for a proposal to convene a negotiation on a broadcasters’ rights treaty. “I think it is positive,” said an […]
US Seeks Review Of WHO Publication Policy After Report On US Trade Deals 28/09/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A senior United States health official in Washington is urging the head of the World Health Organization to withdraw a WHO-sponsored publication that is critical of US trade policy, charging possible organisational incompetence and calling for a full review of its publication procedures. “The WHO Secretariat’s decision to publish the […]
Belgian Infringement Case Prompts Publishers’ Project On Automated Access 27/09/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch. Efforts by Belgian publishers’ representative Copiepresse to stop Google from displaying copyrighted content without permission have energized a global publishing industry initiative aimed at resolving the problem. With a trial set in November on claims the search engine’s news service and “cache” are infringing copyright, four major publishing […]
US Patent Reform: Could 2007 Be The Year? 25/09/2006 by Sarah Stirland for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Sarah Lai Stirland for Intellectual Property Watch US information technology companies’ push to overhaul their country’s patent system made little progress in the US Congress in 2006 due to pushback from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. But the hiring of a trio of well-connected lobbyists with a history in the tort reform movement promises […]
Annual WIPO Assembly Faces Sensitive Policy, Administrative Issues 25/09/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The top decision-makers of the many organs of the World Intellectual Property Organization gather this week with a long list of important issues before them, ranging from new treaties and new IP policies to greater accountability and ways to prevent wrong-doing in its administration. The agenda for the 25 September to 3 […]
New Intergovernmental Initiative Highlights IP Flexibilities For Drug Prices 21/09/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A new international intergovernmental health initiative tied to airplane taxes highlights the use of flexibilities in intellectual property laws as an option for reducing drug prices. The plan is being welcomed by non-governmental organisations that have been lobbying for this point. The initiative is an international drug purchase facility and […]
Luz verde para el tratado de la OMPI sobre radiodifusión pese a desacuerdos 20/09/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por William New El pasado 13 de septiembre un comité clave de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) aprobó una propuesta para negociar un tratado destinado a ampliar los derechos de los organismos de radiodifusión y de difusión por cable, pese a importantes desacuerdos entre los miembros del comité. “El proyecto de propuesta […]
Le projet de traité de l’OMPI sur la radiodiffusion ravive les désaccords passés 20/09/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par William New Le 13 septembre dernier, une proposition visant à négocier un traité pour étendre les droits des organismes de radiodiffusion et de distribution par câble a franchi le cap de l’un des principaux comités de l’Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle (OMPI) en dépit des désaccords qui persistent au sein même du comité. […]