Thailand Compulsory License On AIDS Drug Prompts Policy Debate 22/12/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen After Thailand issued a compulsory license for government production of an HIV/AIDS drug, the patent holder of the product, Merck Sharp & Dohme, has proposed reducing the price by almost two-thirds, local sources said. But Thailand said it wants to see it in writing. “We requested [Merck] to re-propose [it] […]
Kenyan IP Reform Bill Withdrawn, Could Return In 2007 21/12/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Proposed changes to Kenya’s intellectual property rules, which could negatively impact the possibility to import cheaper medicines, were recently withdrawn at the last minute, according to local sources who did not rule out the proposal’s re-introduction in 2007. The proposed changes to Kenya’s Industrial Property Act 2001 were included in […]
Researcher Proposes System To Promote And Protect TK In China 21/12/2006 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Catherine Saez Although China is the biggest traditional knowledge holder in the world and has been patenting its traditional medicine knowledge since 1993, its existing patent regime does not appear to be able to protect traditional knowledge or its holders, says Xuan Li, research fellow at the World Trade Institute in Bern. In order […]
US Congress Passes Legislation On “Semi-Generic” Wines 15/12/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Just in time for the New Year, the United States Congress has passed a bill that will continue to allow the production of knock-off champagnes from outside of France. The European Union is currently examining a bill passed in December that would modify the US law on wines sold under “semi-generic” names […]
Patent Reform On US Senate Agenda; US Officials Question French Copyright Law 14/12/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New As the year end draws near, United States government officials are marking the ground for international intellectual property debates to come in 2007. On 13 December, Senator Patrick Leahy, incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee released his committee’s agenda for next year. He said he would prioritize updating of the US […]
US Advises Developing Country FTA Partners Not To Follow WHO IP Plan 11/12/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States has busily negotiated bilateral free trade agreements with a variety of developing countries in recent years, and now appears to be using these to influence those countries’ positions in multilateral bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Developing countries that have free trade agreements (FTAs) with […]
Key Report Urges UK Government To Boost IP Enforcement and Fair Use Rights 08/12/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch An independent study of Britain’s intellectual property framework has found it essentially sound but in need of changes at the national and international levels. Many of its 54 recommendations appear uncontroversial, but several copyright proposals are already sparking debate, and the report could have European-wide or even worldwide […]
Germany Still Seeking Balance In Copyright Policy 04/12/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch A series of five recent hearings in the Justice Committee of the German Parliament have revealed deep rifts over the second part of Germany’s copyright law reform. This so-called “second basket” deals with adaptations of copyright law to the digital age after a “first basket” from 2003 aimed […]
Governments Eye DRM Interoperability Rules As Consumers Vent Over Access 04/12/2006 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch LONDON – Increasing consumer demand for accessing online content anytime, anywhere is politicizing copyright, speakers said last week at the Digital Hollywood Europe conference here. Frustration over restrictive and incompatible digital rights management (DRM) systems and consumer electronics devices has risen to the point where governments are beginning […]
Mixed Reactions To Leaked Section Of Key UK IP Report 29/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen While the music industry said it is a “big disappointment” that the United Kingdom will not extend copyright protection to sound recordings beyond its current 50 years as stated in a leaked section of a draft government-commissioned report, those in favour of content entering the public domain welcomed it. The […]