Australian Tobacco Plain Packaging Upheld In Decision At WTO 28/06/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A World Trade Organization dispute settlement panel has ruled that Australia’s law requiring tobacco products be sold in plain packages in the interest of public health does not violate the country’s obligations at the global trade body. In Australia and increasingly in other countries, tobacco must be sold with no trademarks or marketing visible other than name. The landmark dispute was seen by some as at the nexus of economic and health interests for the WTO.
The Myth Of IP Incentives For All Nations – Q&A With Carlos Correa 20/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 15 Comments Dr Carlos Maria Correa, an Argentinian economist and lawyer, is globally renowned for his expertise on international trade, intellectual property, health, technology transfer, investment policy and especially their impact on developing countries. He has authored several books and academic articles and been a visiting professor at several universities. Additionally, he has consulted with many United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and other regional and international organisations and has advised several governments on intellectual property, innovation policy and public health. Correa was a member of the UK Commission on Intellectual Property, of the Commission on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Public Health established by the World Health Assembly and of the FAO Panel of Eminent Experts on Ethics in Food and Agriculture. Currently, he is the Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Industrial Property and Economics Law, at the University of Buenos Aires. He takes over as the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Geneva-based South Centre from 1 July 2018. Correa recently engaged in an interview with Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch. [Note: this interview is number two of two. The first was with Dr Othoman Mellouk.]
The Myth Behind Health And Trade Agreements – Q&A With Othoman Mellouk 18/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 12 Comments Dr Othoman Mellouk is a Moroccan treatment advocate who has been working on intellectual property and access to medicines for more than a decade. He is the Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines Lead at the international treatment preparedness coalition (ITPC), a global network of people living with HIV and their advocates working together to achieve access to HIV and Viral Hepatitis and a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Committee on HIV and Hepatitis. Dr Mellouk started off in the Association for the Fight against AIDS which has been at the forefront of the response to HIV in Morocco and the introduction of the first anti-HIV generic medicines in the country. In a series supported by the Make Medicines Affordable organisation, Mellouk recently engaged in an interview with Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch. [Note: this interview is one of two. An interview with Carlos Correa will follow.]
Countries Discuss Prospect Of Plurilateral Agreement On Genetic Resources Protection 14/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Faced with a longstanding lack of progress at the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization on the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, some developing countries are examining the possibility of moving outside the multilateral system toward a plurilateral agreement with like-minded countries. During an international conference last week, panellists pondered the prospects of such an option.
Indigenous Peoples Seek Involvement In WTO To Defend Rights (Video) 13/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Indigenous peoples are losing their genetic resources and traditional knowledge and need to be involved in negotiations on World Trade Organization intellectual property rules and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, representatives told a conference on the subject last week. In a podcast and video interview with Intellectual Property Watch below, the indigenous representatives explain their case.
Major Emerging Economies Push To Revive Discussions On Genetic Resources Misappropriation At WTO 12/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Efforts by developing countries to prevent the misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge have thus far been fruitless at the World Trade Organization. In particular, discussion on the relationship between the rules of the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing and the intellectual property trade rules are going nowhere. In this context, India, supported by other major developing nations, initiated a two-day conference recently in order to look at ways to unlock the situation.
US Section 301, China, And Technology Transfer: Law And Its Limitations Revisited (Again) 07/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Frederick Abbott writes: On 20 May 2018, US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin announced that the US and China were “putting the trade war on hold” while the two countries seek to “execute the framework” of a broad agreement intended to reduce the US trade deficit in goods with China. According to the joint statement issued on 19 May 2018, “Both sides attach paramount importance to intellectual property protections, and agreed to strengthen cooperation. China will advance relevant amendments to its laws and regulations in this area, including the Patent Law.”
TRIPS Council Debates IP Improving Lives, Competition Law To Increase Medicines Access 07/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Whether intellectual property rights are improving lives or whether they should be reined in by tools such as competition law to increase access to medicine, education, and innovation, was debated this week at the World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property. Also on the agenda was a suggestion by least-developed countries to create incentives for developed country companies and institutions to transfer technologies for the benefit of the poorest countries.
EU Files WTO Case Against China Over IP Rights Protection 06/06/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Union has filed a World Trade Organization dispute settlement complaint against China for unfair treatment of foreign intellectual property rights holders. The case follows a similar filing by the United States against China.
Experts In Geneva: Substandard, Falsified Medicines Not About IP 06/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Falsified and substandard medical products continue to be a global concern, and how those products are characterised is important to avoid confusion, particularly with intellectual property rights infringement. A panel convened by Brazil, India and South Africa yesterday at the World Trade Organization looked at the implications of a new definition of such products at the neighbouring World Health Organization.