Review Of WIPO Shipments To Iran, North Korea Issued; US Calls For New Safeguards 11/09/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments An independent study of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s technical assistance to countries sanctioned by the United Nations was released today, and while it did not conclude whether WIPO violated UN protocol or whether there was any personal gain involved, it did raise questions as to how such behaviour could have been perpetuated from the early 2000s right up to this year. Separately today, the United States government made a sharp statement in a members-only WIPO meeting raising concerns about WIPO’s technical assistance activities and its viability as an organisation if it does not attain “an appropriate level of oversight, accountability and transparency.” The US called for new safeguards to ensure monthly, quarterly and annual reviews of its technical assistance involving sanctioned member states, and assurances that WIPO staff can speak with risk about past activities.
The Contributions Of Julian Assange To The Debate On Intellectual Property 08/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments Cables on intellectual property (IP) issues from United States embassies in various parts of the world, leaked by Wikileaks, reveal how the country works to achieve its objectives, Cuban Lillian Álvarez writes.
US Congressional Push For Release Of TPP Text; US Pressuring Nations Bilaterally? 06/09/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments With talks on the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement about to resume, members of Congress are putting pressure on the Obama administration to disclose what it’s seeking on intellectual property rights. And civil society groups say that even more worrying than the closed-door nature of the TPP negotiations is the United States’ increasing use of bilateral meetings to sway other countries.
Protection Of Geographical Indications In Russia: Is Russian Vodka A Protected GI? 31/08/2012 by Daria Kim for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For those who might be curious, the short answer is yes. For those who might be interested to learn more about the protection of geographical indications (GIs) in Russia, this article provides some insights into the Russian law that might be pertinent in light of Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization and recent developments in the international GI law.
Novartis Challenge To India Patent Law Put Off To 11 September 22/08/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Supreme Court of India today did not get to an agenda item involving a challenge to India’s patent law by Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, and it is now scheduled to come up on 11 September. The case is considered to have potential widespread impact on the production of lower priced generic medicines.
Health Advocates Eye Proposed Changes To Patent Law In South Africa 20/08/2012 by Linda Daniels for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments CAPE TOWN – South African health activists and pharmaceutical industry stakeholders are keeping close watch over the government’s attempts to amend patent laws, which activists claim compromise the ability of the country’s poor majority to access cheaper generic medicines.
WHO Hopes For “Domino Effect” Of Australian Ruling In Favour Of Tobacco Plain Packaging 15/08/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The director of the World Health Organization, the global public health body, today vigorously applauded the ruling by Australia’s high court upholding the Australian government’s upcoming ban on trademarked labels on tobacco packages. The case pits international trade interests against public health interests, and the WHO said it hopes today’s ruling will have a “domino effect” for many other countries considering such bans.
In The Spirit Of Fair Play: A Primer On IP And The Olympics 02/08/2012 by Daria Kim for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Mapping out intellectual property issues related to the Olympic Games may itself constitute an engaging exercise: trademark and design protection of the Olympic indicia; data protection of Games results; personality and publicity rights associated with sports celebrities; character rights subsisting in the Olympic mascots; unfair competition law and other legislative means to address ambush marketing and secure the interests of the Games’ exclusive sponsors. The latter appears essential for the purpose of securing the means for staging the Games and sustaining the Olympic Movement.
Access To Medicines And Intellectual Property In Jordan 23/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A new study sponsored by the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) sheds light on the impact of strong intellectual property protection on access to medicines.
New Proposals At WIPO Show Global Debate On Limitations And Exceptions To Copyright 17/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments New proposals for a text put forward today at the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee show the state of the global debate over limitations and exceptions to copyright for education and research.