Citizens’ Summit Contra CETA: It’s Not Only Wallonia 20/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With the vote on the European Union-Canada trade agreement (CETA) on the agenda once more at the upcoming EU Council meeting tomorrow the representatives of European and Canadian cities and regions gathered at Brussels today for a “CETA Citizens’ Summit.” Gerardo Pisarello, vice mayor of the city of Barcelona, said that cities like his see CETA as a barrier to their plans to remunicipalize water and energy services and the attempts “to open up public procurement to small companies and cooperatives.”
Trump Silence On IP Policy Leaves Rights Owners Baffled 20/10/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 18 Comments While US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has published detailed positions on intellectual property, technology transfer and trade, Republican candidate Donald Trump has limited his comments to trade reform and alleged Chinese IP theft. The policy vacuum has left the IP community not only uncertain of Trump’s intentions but unable even to find the right people to ask, one IP attorney said. [Note: story updated with a comment about IP made by Trump]
Special Report: IP And Competition Law – Opposing Forces Or Partners For Consumer Welfare? 20/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property and competition authorities should collaborate, but other institutions should also have their say, such as health ministries, speakers said at a United Nations meeting of experts this week. And guidelines should be provided to judges in the difficult task of determining whether IP rights monopolies impede on competition, they said. This special report takes a deeper look at IPRs, competition, and differing economies.
The Comments Are In On South African IP Framework; Action Seen In Early 2017 20/10/2016 by Linda Daniels for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The invitation by the South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to intellectual property stakeholders to comment on its recently released IP Consultative Framework has reignited calls for the department to come clean on the status of the national draft IP policy.
UNICEF Tender Allows Gavi To Supply Vaccines For Millions Of Children 20/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Gavi, the vaccine alliance, announced yesterday that a UNICEF pentavalent vaccine tender will secure sufficient supplies for the next three years to protect millions of children in Gavi-supported and transitioning countries.
Indian Company Moves To Provide Affordable Insulin Biosimilar In Europe As Patents Rise 19/10/2016 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Bangalore-based Biocon may become the first Indian company to offer a biosimilar insulin in Europe. And the patent and pricing story is interesting.
Design Treaty Not Discussed At WIPO Committee; Information Session On GIs To Be Held In Spring 19/10/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Fresh from intense discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies earlier this month, delegates to a WIPO committee today agreed to hold an information session on geographical indications in the spring, and to further work on industrial designs. However, no further discussions to help break the deadlock on a proposed design law treaty could be arranged this week.
Nearly 100 Organisations Press For Better Medicines Access In Asian Region RCEP Agreement 19/10/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Nearly 100 health, community and development organisations working in the Asia-Pacific region issued a call for trade ministers negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement to “reject provisions that would negatively affect access to generic medicines.” Negotiators are meeting from 17-22 October in China, and the concern is about the intellectual property chapter of the deal.
Eli Lilly Commits To Healthcare For 30 Million People In Middle-Income Countries And US By 2030 18/10/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly today announced a stepped-up commitment to provide improved access to quality healthcare for 30 million people in resource-limited settings by 2030.
WIPO Wants Its Pro Bono Patent Lawyer Scheme To Aid Developing Countries’ Inventors 18/10/2016 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Imagine you’re an inventor in the Philippines and want to file a patent for, say, a fishing implement you’ve invented, but your $9,000 a year income thwarts your ability to pay the legal fees to register it and develop it commercially. You could be stumped from the start.