East African Nations Agree Declaration Promoting Regional Pharma Sector Investment 07/11/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Senior officials from East African nations last week agreed on a declaration on promoting investment in the region’s pharmaceutical sector, spelling out terms aimed at boosting investment in ways that are locally relevant and responsible. The declaration includes: steps to standardise and improve product quality and registration, boosting government procurement of local products, setting up research centres, adopting domestic laws on intellectual property and international trade flexibilities to IP, actions against counterfeit and substandard medical products, and increasing exports. The meeting comes as local pharmaceutical production is seen to be in decline in the region.
Indian Generic Pharma Warns Against Government Caving To US Pressure On Data Exclusivity 06/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The Indian Drug Technical Advisory Board meeting on 7 November is expected to discuss a measure that could lead to opening the way to a 10-year data exclusivity period for originator pharmaceutical companies in India, according to the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance. The alliance submitted a letter to the advisory board to warn against consequences on public health of data exclusivity if the Indian government “succumbs to” pressure by the United States.
Proposals On How To Better Implement WIPO Development Agenda Recommendations Kept On Agenda 04/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Today, the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on development agreed to pursue discussions on how WIPO is implementing the recommendations of its sweeping 2007 Development Agenda. The secretariat is instructed to provide a response to a set of recommendations provided by independent reviewers.
EU Commission Says Plants And Animals From Conventional Processes Not Patentable 04/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The European Commission has issued its opinion on certain articles of the EU directive on biotechnological inventions, in particular the patentability of plants or animals obtained as a result of natural occurrence such as selection and crossing. The Commission found that the intention of the EU when drafting the legislation was to exclude such products from patentability.
WIPO Committee Agrees To Focus Work To Improve WIPO Technical Assistance 04/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on development today agreed on how the committee should continue work on improving WIPO technical assistance to developing countries. For the next six sessions, delegates will work on a proposal for forums and secretariat reports with the aim of raising the accountability and effectiveness of WIPO technical assistance.
A Summary Of International CopyCamp 2016 04/11/2016 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Summary of one of the coolest annual conferences in Europe, provided by Krzysztof Siewicz, Modern Poland Foundation
Navigating Fragmented Laws And Systems Around Tobacco Packaging Lawsuits 03/11/2016 by Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Sitting between different rights, powers and principles at the intersection of differing legal regimes is the case of Philip Morris v Uruguay. The case, which concerns Uruguayan regulations that impose enlarged graphic health warning requirements on tobacco packaging and reduce the varieties of a tobacco brand that can be sold, has since its decision in July this year by an investor-state arbitration tribunal, has caused much discussion among legal practitioners and academia and attracted broader public attention.
WIPO’s New Tool: Complex Patents Now Easily Translated 02/11/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has developed a ground-breaking new “artificial intelligence”-based translation tool for patent documents, according to the organisation.
More Rigorous Patent Examination In US Than Europe And Australia? 02/11/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A recently published study finds that, contrary to a conventional view, the United States Patent and Trademark Office undertakes more rigorous patent examination than the European Patent Office and the Australian Patent Office.
WIPO Members Divided On IP Agency’s Role In Implementation Of UN Sustainable Development Goals 02/11/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Countries of the world decided in 2015 to launch an ambitious agenda to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. What should be the role of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization in the attainment of the adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals? This question, discussed at the WIPO Committee on Development and IP, is dividing countries, as developed countries argue that only a few goals apply to the work of WIPO, and others argue that there should be no ‘cherrypicking’ as all the goals in one way or another do apply to WIPO’s work as a UN agency.