G8 Outcome Has IP Implications For Enforcement, Trade and Health 19/07/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment This week’s Group of Eight (G8) meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia highlighted piracy and counterfeiting as one area in which G8 is determined to step up its effort, but it also made commitments to improve access to medicines for infectious diseases and to fulfil the development objective of the current world trade talks. Separately, German […]
EU Flags Geographical Indications In WTO Trade Talks Paper 22/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a new European Union communication to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the ongoing agriculture negotiations, the EU has moved its call for higher intellectual property rights protection for product names deriving from geographical locations to the top of its list of demands. At issue is Europe’s wish to better protect its geographical indications […]
World Bank Report Urges Caution In Adopting Plant Breeding IP Policy 21/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Developing countries should use international law on plant breeding but not necessarily sign up to binding conventions as they could have a negative impact, argues a new World Bank-commissioned report presented at a joint event on 20 June at the World Trade Organization. The report was authored by Niels Louwaars of the Centre for Genetic […]
WTO Geographical Indications Discussion Moves To Higher Level 16/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment While there was little movement at a World Trade Organization meeting (WTO) on intellectual property rules this week, one of the IP issues in the current round of trade talks has been elevated to a consultation of ambassador-level officials under special invitation, sources said. The IP issue is geographical indications (GIs) and a proposal to […]
EU Gets Little Support For Enforcement Proposal at WTO; CBD Issue Unresolved 16/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Union got little support for its proposal to add further enforcement measures into international trade law on intellectual property at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting on 15 June, according to participants. This was the last day of the 14-15 June meeting of the Council on the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of […]
Brazil, India Get Developed Country Support For TRIPS Amendment On Biodiversity 15/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Two new proposals on the relationship of international agreements on the protection of biodiversity were discussed at the World Trade Organization (WTO) yesterday, one of which supports a developing country view. But member states still disagree as to whether there is a conflict between international rules. The new proposals were tabled by Japan [Japan Proposal] […]
Brasil lucha por la protección internacional de la biodiversidad 15/06/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Brasil cuenta probablemente con la fuente de biodiversidad más rica del mundo, y lucha por obtener apoyo a nivel internacional para proteger estos recursos naturales de lo que considera una explotación injusta a través del uso de patentes por parte de empresas y otros dentro y fuera del país. Mientras […]
Geographical Indications Register Still Stuck As WTO Meetings Continue 13/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Trade Organization (WTO) discussion of a multilateral register for wines and spirits that derive their names from geographical locations seemed to hit a new low today as the chair ended a meeting after 15 minutes because of lack of movement. “The chair seemed quite bitter,” two participants said. The chair, Ambassador Manzoor Ahmad of […]
Biggest Developing Countries Present TRIPS Amendment Proposal 07/06/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The world’s largest developing countries are seeking an amendment to international trade rules to provide more protection for genetic resources and traditional knowledge used in patent applications, and have presented the amendment proposal to other governments with mixed results. Brazil, India and China are among the eight countries that have publicly supported the proposal to […]
Developing Countries Propose TRIPS Amendment On Disclosure 01/06/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments A group of six developing countries led by India have submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) suggesting changes to international trade law to include specific requirements for disclosure of where biological material has been obtained from in patent applications. If adopted, this could mean that anyone applying for a patent based on […]