WHO Adopts “Most Important Document Since Doha” On IP And Public Health 29/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments By William New The annual World Health Assembly on Saturday adopted a global strategy aimed at filling the research gap for diseases afflicting developing countries that places the UN agency squarely in global intellectual property policymaking and despite compromises is the most significant reference document on IP and public health in years, according to sources […]
European Commission Proposes Forum On Future Of Copying Levies 28/05/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Commission has recommended that a forum involving creative artists and the consumer industry should be established to determine the future of private copying levies. Twenty-one of the European Union’s 27 countries impose oft-criticised surcharges on equipment – ranging from blank cassettes to MP3 players […]
Not All Patents Created Equal, Technology Policy Experts Say 28/05/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT – The efficacy of the patent system is not equivalent across all industries, and appears to be particularly ineffective in software, said a panel at the Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference held at Yale University last week. The presence of a one-size-fits-all patent system is not optimal, said Brian […]
International ‘Making Available’ Right Becoming Less Available In US Law 28/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch The United States can’t make up its mind. On one hand, the country has signed at least nine international agreements that explicitly provide a new digital right for copyright owners: the exclusive right to make their works electronically available to the public. On the other hand, the US courts are uncertain whether this “making available” right exists under US law. US courts have split over this issue, with some recognising the right and others rejecting it. But a new trend may be emerging. In the last four months, four US federal district courts have ruled that “making available” is not a right recognised by US copyright law.
Debate Surrounds Final WHO Global Strategy, Action Plan On IP And Health 24/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New [Update: The assembly reached agreement on the global strategy, but the final text is not available, according to the WHO.] Draft texts of a global strategy, plan of action and resolution on ways to stimulate research into neglected diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations were adopted Saturday at committee level by World Health […]
Saturday Text Of WHO Draft Global Strategy On IP And Health Now Available 24/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A draft resolution, global strategy, and plan of action on intellectual property and public health were circulated Saturday at the 19-24 May World Health Assembly. The drafts show areas of agreement in the weeklong assembly, and difficult areas that remained to be agreed on Saturday.
WHO Members Near Accord On Global Strategy On IP And Health 24/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Down to the final hours before the closing ceremonies of this year’s World Health Assembly, governments have nearly completed work on a global strategy to stimulate research into neglected diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations. But work skipped to the draft assembly resolution after the draft plan of action provoked a debate on […]
Slow Going On Intellectual Property, Innovation Strategy At Health Assembly 22/05/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [Note: new 23 May draft text of strategy and plan of action posted to IP-Watch Subscriber section] By William New Negotiators of a global strategy to boost innovation in and access to treatments for under-researched diseases largely afflicting the poor this week are working behind closed doors in increasingly smaller groups and have a few […]
Projet de loi sur la reforme du regime des brevets: l’administration Bush intensifie ses efforts pour qu’il soit approuve cette annee 21/05/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment par Liza Porteus Viana pour Intellectual Property Watch Bien qu’en apparence, la réforme des brevets soit entrée dans une impasse au Congrès américain, l’administration Bush intensifie ses efforts pour qu’un projet de loi soit achevé au cours de la période de séances actuelles au Congrès. Cette semaine, le Secrétaire américain au Commerce, M. Carlos Gutierrez, […]
UNCITRAL Begins Debate On Harmonising Secured Financing, IP Laws 20/05/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – A United Nations group on Monday began debate on a publication aimed at helping the world’s governments harmonise their secured financing and intellectual property laws. The UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group VI is meeting in New York this week to hammer out differences various parties have on issues including transfer of intellectual property rights, creation of a security right, registries, and intellectual property rights related to tangible assets when those rights are used as collateral to secure credit.