USTR’s Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights: Public Interest Groups Still Calling for a Voice 04/11/2004 by Isabelle Scherer for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the wake of a series of U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs) which include ‘TRIPS-plus’ commitments on intellectual property, civil society groups are again urging the United States to better incorporate public interest views in the formulation of its trade strategy. Since the late 1990s, consumer advocates, such as James Love of the Consumer Project […]
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Civil Society Groups fear a rushed General Comment on “Intellectual Property” 04/11/2004 by Isabelle Scherer for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The plans of a leading UN human rights body to finalize a General Comment on “Intellectual Property and Human Rights” in November has provoked calls from human rights and public interest organisations for greater opportunities for public input. At stake is the content of a draft General Comment by the UN Committee on Economic, Social […]
US Vows to “Fight” the Push for WIPO Reform 04/11/2004 by Isabelle Scherer for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments In an October 15 speech, the Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Jonathan Dudas, vowed that the U.S. government will “fight” proposals that aim to “fundamentally change the WIPO charter and philosophy” away from its current focus on the promotion of intellectual property. In his keynote remarks at the Annual Meeting of […]
Editorial 04/11/2004 by Carolyn Deere, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Dear Reader, Welcome to the first issue of Intellectual Property Watch! Established in the summer of 2004, Intellectual Property Watch is a journalistic initiative created to report on the interests and ‘behind the scenes’ dynamics which influence the design and implementation of intellectual property policies. The goal of Intellectual Property Watch is straightforward—to promote transparency, […]