Event This Week: The Creation Of Unitary Patent Protection In The European Union 27/11/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Creation of Unitary Patent Protection in the European Union Paris, 29-30 November 2012 Maison de la Recherche 54, rue de Varenne 75007 Paris Find here (http://bit.ly/Vbb2CB) more information about the conference. After more than 30 years of negotiations, 25 of 27 Member States reached a conclusion on the future Unitary Patent System. The central aim of the two draft Regulations on the creation of unitary patent protection and on the applicable translation arrangements is to reduce the costs of patent protection and translation fees in the EU. The European Council on 28-29 June 2012 agreed to split the seat of the EU Patent Court between Paris, London and Munich. The Council’s suggestion to delete Articles 6-8 of the draft Regulation on the creation of the unitary patent provoked strong criticism in the European Parliament which postponed the vote on the proposal scheduled for 4 July 2012. A conference organised by the Academy of European Law (ERA) in cooperation with Queen Mary University of London in Paris on 29-30 November 2012 will offer a platform for discussion on the latest proposals which are now being discussed within the European Parliament.
Special Report: With Poor And Uninsured A Majority, Southeast Asia Sees Rise In Generics 27/11/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Four of the world’s most populous nations are in Southeast Asia and with roughly two-thirds of its population lacking access to medicines, the region holds promise for the cheaper generic drugs. Already, observers are taking note of how the region is changing the dynamics of the global business.
European Commission, ARIPO Sign Agreement On Agricultural GIs 27/11/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission and African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) yesterday signed a cooperation agreement on the protection of traditional agricultural products from specific geographical locations or with specific characteristics.
USPTO Director Kappos To Depart In January 26/11/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment David Kappos, the director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), will leave at the end of January, a USPTO spokesperson confirmed today.
Overseas Manufacturing Creates Copyright Dilemma For US Supreme Court 21/11/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons presents the United States Supreme Court with a stark and weighty choice. In the 29 October oral argument [pdf], Supap Kirtsaeng urged the court to uphold purchasers’ right to freely dispose of copyrighted works they have purchased, even when those works are made overseas. If this right is struck down, Kirtsaeng warned, museums in the US may be unable to borrow works of art created overseas, consumers may be unable to sell their used books and CDs, and many companies engaged in secondary markets, such as eBay and used car dealers, may be put out of business.
Report Seeks To Advance Global Debate On Technological Transfer 21/11/2012 by Tiphaine Nunzia Caulier for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) proposes solutions to advancing the global technology transfer debate to better bridge the development gap between developed countries and the global South.
EU Patent, Patent Court Could Finally Be Approved In Coming Weeks 20/11/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A new proposal by European Union governments could signal the end of a years-long struggle for a unified European patent and patent court. The compromise, which has the support of the European Commission (EC), appears likely to make it through the European Parliament despite pockets of resistance.
Pending Decision On GM Maize In Mexico Under Fire 15/11/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The ETC Group has issued a warning that “agribusiness giants Monsanto, DuPont and Dow are plotting the boldest coup of a global food crop in history,” as they have applied to the Mexican government for the planting of transgenic maize on 2,500,000 hectares, approximately the size of El Salvador.
EU Parliament, Scientists Press Governments To Boost Research Funding 15/11/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As governments prepare to debate the European Union’s overall budget for 2014-2020, European Parliament members and top scientists today warned that any cuts to research and innovation funding will risk the loss of a generation of scientists just when Europe needs them most.
Analysis: Argentine Court Clarifies What Patent Holders Can – And Cannot – Prohibit 14/11/2012 by Maximiliano Marzetti for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the recent decision on the case “Novartis AG versus Laboratorios LKM SA re cease of use of patent” the Third Chamber of the Federal Civil and Commercial Appellate Court of Argentina set an important precedent in relation to the interpretation of the ius prohibendi of patent holders. In other words, the demarcation of what they can and cannot prohibit.