États-Unis : les démocrates pourraient freiner les négociations d’accords commerciaux, mais peu de changements sont prévus en matière de propriété intellectuelle 28/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par Martin Vaughan pour Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON DC – La nouvelle majorité démocrate à la Chambre des représentants et au Sénat des États-Unis pose de nouveaux obstacles aux accords commerciaux de l’administration Bush. Toutefois, les observateurs et les responsables politiques aux États-Unis estiment qu’à court terme, elle n’apportera probablement aucun changement majeur aux dispositions […]
Demócratas podrían demorar acuerdos comerciales de EE.UU. pero podrían cambiar poco en PI 28/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Martin Vaughan para Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – Las nuevas mayorías demócratas del Senado y la Cámara de Representantes de los Estados Unidos constituyen nuevos obstáculos frente a las iniciativas comerciales de la Administración Bush. Pero, según encargados de la formulación de políticas y observadores de ese país, éstos probablemente no se traducirán […]
US-Russia Bilateral/WTO Deal Pushes New Standards For IP Protection 24/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New In its bilateral negotiation with the United States in order to join the World Trade Organization, Russia appears to have agreed to intellectual property rights standards that push those of the WTO and US law to new levels. IP issues have been a top priority for the United States in recent years […]
Democrats Could Slow US Trade Deals But May Change Little On IP 23/11/2006 by Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – The new Democratic Party majorities in the United States Senate and House of Representatives pose new obstacles for Bush administration trade initiatives. But they are not likely in the short-term to result in wholesale changes to intellectual property rights provisions that are part of those […]
EU TV Without Frontiers Directive Still A Lobbyist Target But May End Up A ‘Soup Hen’ 22/11/2006 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch In the second week of December, the European Parliament will hear the first reading of the “modernised” Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF) that will stretch into the world of online content – hence to become the Audiovisual Media Directive. The directive is intended to adapt European Union-wide rules […]
Draft EU-Caribbean Agreement Shows Escalated IP Provisions 17/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A new “non-paper” by the European Communities on the economic partnership agreement under negotiation with 15 Caribbean countries shows an elevation of intellectual property standards above global trade rules. The new draft text prepared for the next round of negotiations and obtained by Intellectual Property Watch, appears to show the European Commission nudging the 15 nations of the Caribbean Forum of ACP States (CARIFORUM) to adopt standards that exceed the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The draft text of the intellectual property sections, available to IP-Watch Monthly Subscribers, contains suggestions for the adoption of provisions based on the European Union enforcement directive, which has been criticised by some as overly restrictive. The text also refers to a range of treaties negotiated at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that are not required by TRIPS, including the so-called 1996 WIPO “Internet treaties” on performers and producers, as well as copyrights on the Internet. The draft treaty also has additional provisions on copyrights, patents, trademarks and Internet domain name processes, and the extension of additional protection for geographical indications. These are product names derived from specific geographical regions. Caribbean countries have long had special trade treatment with Europe. Negotiations to alter the relationship through an Economic Partnership Agreement were launched in 2004. The sides are working under a deadline of mid-2007 to replace the Coutonou agreement which was found to be inconsistent with WTO rules. The countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions, which were collectively in an agreement with the European Union have been now separated by region. CARIFORUM members include: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. William New may be reached at wnew@ip-watch.ch.
2006 US Election Provides New Landscape For IP Reform 11/11/2006 by John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch The 2006 elections in the United States have presented the world of intellectual property with a new set of guardians. In the 7 November congressional elections, Democrats took control of the House of Representatives and the Senate from the Republicans, who had been the majority party in […]
Sources: Internal Memo Suggests Shift In WHO Handling Of US Criticism 10/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A World Health Organization (WHO) director has taken the unusual step of writing a memorandum directly to the head of the WHO, seeking clarity on the organisation’s handling of a United States complaint involving WHO staff, according to anonymous sources. The memo was prompted by concern that the organisation is […]
European Commission Debates Neglected Disease Effort – Outside The IP System 09/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen BRUSSELS – When the European Commission’s plan to include neglected diseases in its next research programme was debated at a conference here, intellectual property rights played a rather small role. This is a good sign, the Commission said, but some participants disagreed. The 8-9 November international conference on neglected infectious […]
Novartis Persists With Challenge To Indian Patent Law Despite Adversity 19/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Following the rejection of a patent application for one of its medicines, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis has taken the “unprecedented action” of challenging India’s patent law in a high court, arguing that it is unconstitutional as well as in breach of international trade law, it said. “The filing of writ […]