WIPO Appoints New Top Officials, Readies Policies On Conflicts Of Interest, Staff Cuts 15/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s executive body on Monday approved a set of seven most senior officials at the organisation to join the director general late this year. Monday’s Coordination Committee meeting also will address new policies on financial disclosure and conflicts of interest among top WIPO officials, and voluntary staff departures in the face of smaller budgets.
GAVI, Gates Deploy Industry-Favoured Incentive For Vaccines To Poor Countries 12/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Major public health funders have alighted upon an industry-favoured approach of guaranteeing certain prices to industry to make vaccines available to least-developed country markets.
Turning Points Ahead For WTO Geographical Indications, Biodiversity? 12/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The coming months could spell changes in the long-running World Trade Organization talks on creating a register for wines and spirits geographical indications and amending WTO rules to better protect biodiversity rights. Developed countries that have been blocking progress on the issues for years may be pushed at a political level, according to some sources.
Panel: EU Accord Threatens India; World Customs Body Scales Back IP Enforcement 11/06/2009 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – India’s status as a top world supplier of generic medicines could be threatened by a free trade agreement its government is negotiating with the European Union, a new study has concluded. Separately, the World Customs Organization has abandoned its intellectual property rights enforcement group, replacing it with a non-policymaking information committee.
French Minister Says HADOPI Law A 21st Century Reality 10/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments WASHINGTON, DC – France’s “three strikes” law is both “ambitious” and “realistic,” French culture and communication minister Christine Albanel told a conference Tuesday, and anyone who thinks the internet can be a lawless arena where anything goes is “in the wrong century.” Also at the conference, predictions were made on US legislation on patent reform, performance rights and other issues.
Generic Drug Delay Called “Systemic” Problem At TRIPS Council 09/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Seizures of legal generic drugs was the focus of heated discussion Monday at the World Trade Organization Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), raising questions about the implementation of enforcement measures in the European Union.
June Edition Of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 09/06/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Edition features top news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the international IP community, news briefs and more. The June edition is now available for subscribers.
Pirate Party To Enter European Parliament 08/06/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Swedish Pirate Party harvested 7.1 percent of the Swedish vote in preliminary results from the European Parliament elections on Sunday, 7 June, according to official sources. The Party aims to fundamentally reform copyright law, get rid of the patent system and ensure citizens’ right to privacy. According to the Parliament’s provisional seat repartition, the […]
Drug Seizures In Frankfurt Spark Fears Of EU-Wide Pattern 05/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments Health advocates have raised alarm over reports that several million pills of generic medicine were held up in Frankfurt airport in May despite being destined for a different port. And new information has come to light indicating Dutch seizures were more numerous than originally thought. These developments have prompted outcry and the assertion that a European-wide law on customs and intellectual property is problematic.
Swedish Pirate Party Set To Win Seats In EU Elections 05/06/2009 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments COPENHAGEN – As a candidate for the European Parliament elections on Sunday, the Swedish Pirate Party has “good chances” of winning one, two or possibly even three mandates, it says, referring to Swedish opinion polls.