TRIPS Council Extends Health Amendment; Targets Poor Nations’ Needs 23/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property rights on Tuesday gave a two-year extension for countries to ratify a public health agreement easing countries’ ability to import cheap medicines. It also addressed needs assessments for least-developed countries, which are to implement WTO rules on IP rights by 2013. The WTO Council […]
Officials Prepare For TRIPS Council As China Blocks US Dispute Panel 22/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property rights issues this week is expected to discuss biodiversity and traditional knowledge, enforcement, geographical indications, and public health, according to participants. While no significant breakthroughs are predicted, the issues to be discussed are potentially highly charged. There will be at least two new documents […]
Reñido debate en torno al Director General de la OMPI: los empleados disienten y África alega racismo 19/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 16 Comments Por William New Cientos de empleados de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI), un importante organismo de las Naciones Unidas, han firmado una petición a favor de que Kamil Idris, Director General de la OMPI, anteponga los intereses de la organización a los propios a la hora de responder a las acusaciones de […]
Desafíos en las conversaciones de la ONU sobre acceso e innovación en salud pública 18/10/2007 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Por Paul Garwood A la ronda de negociaciones que tendrá lugar el próximo mes sobre un plan de las Naciones Unidas para impulsar el acceso a los medicamentos para los pobres del mundo le espera un camino difícil, en el que países y regiones se encuentran divididos respecto a cuestiones contenciosas como los derechos de […]
Battle Rages Over WIPO DG As Staff Dissents, Africa Cries Racism 17/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 16 Comments By William New Hundreds of employees at the World Intellectual Property Organization, a prominent United Nations agency, have signed a petition calling on WIPO Director General Kamil Idris to put the organisation’s interests before his own in addressing allegations that he misrepresented his age on official documents and possibly engaged in other untoward activities. Idris […]
Canada, EU Acting On Public Health Exceptions To WTO IP Law 15/10/2007 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Canada has become the first country to notify the World Trade Organisation that it has allowed a drugs firm to use an international scheme for manufacturing generic versions of patented medicines introduced four years ago. Meanwhile, the European Union this week is continuing a debate over whether to […]
UN Talks On Public Health Access And Innovation Face Challenges 10/10/2007 by Paul Garwood for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Paul Garwood Next month’s round of negotiations on a United Nations plan to boost access to medicines for the world’s poor are set for a rough ride, with countries and regions split on contentious issues such as intellectual property rights and how to spur drug innovation for the benefit of all. The World Health […]
WIPO Assembly Ends In Deadlock Over Budget, Director General 04/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The annual General Assemblies of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization ended in a stalemate Wednesday with no approval of a new budget or proposed cuts in patent fees and no decision on the fate of embattled Director General Kamil Idris, according to early reports from some participants. “It was a catastrophe,” […]
La OMPI emprende un nuevo programa sobre propiedad intelectual y desarrollo 04/10/2007 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por William New Los Estados miembros de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual adoptaron formalmente el pasado viernes un nuevo Programa para el Desarrollo, imprimiendo así una perspectiva más amplia del desarrollo a todas sus actividades. Los detalles sobre su aplicación se establecerán más adelante. “Este es un gran día”, comentó el Embajador de […]
Debate On Director General Reaches Breaking Point 02/10/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization on Tuesday appeared to be near a breaking point on the effort by developed countries to discuss possible improprieties and mismanagement by the WIPO director general and their effort to get him to resign. The issue has clouded the entire 24 September to 3 October […]