Is ACTA Dying And Are G8 Countries Reacting To Its Impending Death? 15/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Rapporteurs for three committees of the European Parliament (Legal, Industry and Trade, and International Trade) have tabled reports or announced what they will propose on the plurilateral Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). And the Group of 8 may have signalled a shift to a narrower approach on intellectual property rights at its meeting last week.
Former Senior Staff Say OECD Countries Trying To Stifle UNCTAD’s Work 12/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A letter co-signed by 49 former staff members of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development denouncing efforts by some countries to muffle the institution’s voice was released yesterday at a press conference.
US Government Report: IP Boon To US Economy, Accounts For 40 Million Jobs 12/04/2012 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property-intensive industries in the United States support at least 40 million jobs and contribute more than $5 trillion – or 34.8 percent of – US gross domestic product (GDP), according to a report released by the Obama administration Wednesday.
Trade And Development With A Dash Of IP: Conference To Set Course For UNCTAD 11/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The quadrennial conference of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) sets the course of the UN body work for the next four years. The mandate of the conference has evolved since its creation to become mainly a provider of research, policy analysis and technical assistance to developing countries. This time around, the conference will serve as a wide-ranging forum for trade and development issues, and intellectual property issues will haunt discussions in several areas.
‘Counterfeit’ Dropped From New WHO Protocol On Illicit Tobacco Trade 04/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new treaty protocol against illicit trade in tobacco products struck today at the World Health Organization saw a late-stage decision to strip out references to “counterfeit” products from the text, according to sources.
WHO / EU “Bad Medicine” Plans: Flaws, Coordination Gaps 02/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The latest World Health Organization / European Union plans to counter the trade in counterfeit and substandard medicines aim to ensure that medicines in the developing world are safe. As such, though both plans appropriately address quality issues, they fall short of adequate coordination and collaboration with each other, and also present substantial flaws, Daniele Dionisio writes.
Special Report: Focus On Intermediaries’ Role Rises As Internet Matures 21/03/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With the commercial internet now in its early twenties, stakeholders are finding themselves at a crossroads, unsure whether to allow business as usual or embrace a more regulated regime. Intellectual property, with its penchant for protection, is one of those areas where the tug-of-war is most evident, and seemingly caught in the middle are internet intermediaries.
French IP Lawyers Prefer No Favours For Green Tech Patents; Welcome America Invents Act 20/03/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment PARIS – A meeting of IP professionals held in Paris last week reaffirmed the importance of intellectual property and its protection to the private sector. Meanwhile, panellists at the event argued that green technologies should not benefit from a special regime. They also hailed the new America Invents Act as facilitating patent applications in the United States.
A NEW South Africa Traditional Knowledge Bill – Sui Generis Protection for TK 18/03/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments If you cannot beat them, join them. For that reason this Chair of IP has decided to announce a NEW sui generis Protection of Traditional Knowledge Bill in the hope that something may yet be done to save us all.
Global Business Stands Up For Multilateral Trade At WTO 16/03/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The global business community this week re-committed its support to governments in multilateral trade negotiations in the hopes of overcoming the Doha Round stalemate. Business and trade experts from more than 20 countries gathered at the World Trade Organization for a first conference bringing private sector perspectives to international trade.