Indian Civil Society Raises Concerns Over US Industry-Sponsored IP Summits 11/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Public interest groups in India are raising questions over annual summits involving Indian judges and policymakers that are being funded by major western industry groups, in particular pharmaceutical companies. At this year’s summit, held recently, a section of India’s patent law which prevents the extension of monopoly power for incremental innovations came under attack, the groups have said.
FAO Conference Draws Ire From Civil Society; Industry Satisfied By Event 09/03/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments A recent UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conference on the benefits of agricultural biotechnologies in Guadalajara, Mexico, sparked strong reactions from peasant organisations and civil society.
Global Fund Reports On Progress Toward UN Health Goals 08/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS is within reach, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said in a progress report released today.
Submissions To US Unilateral IP Enforcement Process Highlight Piracy, Health, and ACTA 05/03/2010 by Catherine Saez and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Submissions to the United States annual review of how well it says the rest of the world is protecting US intellectual property are being assessed this week, with marked changes from previous years.
USTR Offers Answers To Some Thorny Questions On ACTA 03/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A letter from the United States government answering a variety of sticky questions about the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has been released online. The 28 January letter is addressed to Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon) from US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
WTO TRIPS Council Considers Workshop On Public Health Amendment 02/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Trade Organization group on intellectual property rights met today and ended early, discussing a potential workshop on an amendment intended to ease access to cheaper generic medicines in countries without a pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, a new proposal from Bolivia and three separate longstanding IP issues with no major changes.
Battistelli Of France Is New EPO President 01/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Administrative Council of the Munich-based European Patent Organisation on 1 March elected Benoît Battistelli of France as next president of the European Patent Office (EPO), starting on 1 July. Battistelli is director general of the French National Institute of Industrial Property. He will succeed Alison Brimelow of the United Kingdom, and will serve a […]
Efficacy Of TRIPS Public Health Amendment In Question At WTO 01/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments World Trade Organization members this week will hear a report on an informal meeting on an amendment to intellectual property trade rules intended to allow easier access to medicines, which some argue has had a flawed design from its inception.
EPO In Another Attempt To Elect President 26/02/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Patent Office will hold another extraordinary meeting on Monday to try and elect a replacement for outgoing president Alison Brimelow. The 1 March election will be the fourth attempt for one of the candidates to get the required three quarter majority needed to win the seat. Previous elections were held in February, December, […]
Tough IP Health Provisions In Europe’s Colombia/Peru Trade Deal 25/02/2010 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Far-reaching provisions on the patenting of medicine have been inserted into a controversial free trade agreement between the European Union and Colombia and Peru.