Sounding The Alarm: Return Of US Legislation Against Global “Rogue” Websites 15/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Intellectual property rights holders, access to knowledge proponents, presumably online scam artists, and possibly governments and international organisations interested in internet governance heard the call of the introduction this week of the “Protect IP Act” in the US Senate. The bill is aimed at strengthening US law enforcement’s ability to stop international websites offering counterfeit goods or unauthorised copyrighted content.
World Health Assembly To Address Organisational Reform, IP Issues 13/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The state of global health and the work of the international organisation in charge of providing leadership in public health matters will be scrutinised at the annual World Health Assembly starting next week.
Panel: Indigenous Rights Integral To Treaty On Knowledge, Folklore and Genes 10/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Although indigenous peoples’ rights are recognised in a number of international declarations, the implementation of those rights is difficult to achieve, according to panellists at an event opening this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization negotiations toward a treaty to protect traditional knowledge, folklore and genetic resources.
UNCTAD: Bundle Of Opportunities To Improve Medicines Access In LDCs 09/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Access to essential medicines in least developed countries (LDCs) could be facilitated through local production, according to a report released today by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
WIPO Members To Work Toward Treaty On Folklore, Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources 06/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Building on recent momentum that has produced negotiating texts towards an international instrument to protect folklore, traditional knowledge and genetic resources, delegates to the World Intellectual Property Organization next week will try to clean the texts that still bear signs of division.
WHO Group Strikes Landmark Deal On Global Framework For Flu Pandemics 18/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments After a week of discussions, a good part of which centred around intellectual property issues, World Health Organization members agreed to a framework aimed at better addressing future influenza pandemics and facilitating vaccines access for developing country populations, with industry contributions.
WHO Members Near Deal On Framework For Influenza Pandemics 15/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Health Organization members trying this week to agree on elements of a framework for helping the world address the next influenza pandemic headed into the final night of the meeting in intensive negotiations. At press time, negotiations were focused on specifics of standard agreements for the transfer of genetic materials related to flu virus strains.
WIPO Hails 2 Millionth International Patent Application 15/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In its slick new office building in Geneva, the World Intellectual Property Organization this week celebrated the 2 millionth patent filing under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, which it manages. In the foyer with white clad windows, a crowd was assembled to hear the praise of the international patent filing system.
Study: Patent Applications Rise On Flu Genetic Resources; Questioning WIPO Report 13/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment As a backdrop to World Health Organization members meeting this week in search of a global strategy for future influenza pandemics, the pharmaceutical industry and other actors have been developing a keen interest in patents on influenza genetic resources. A sharp and sustained increase in patent activity on those materials was pointed out by a civil society group in a new report, which it says challenges a recent report by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Europe Creates Orphan Works Registry, Copyright ID System; Digitises EU Content 12/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A European Commission-backed project to identify copyright holders and define orphan works – whose copyright owners cannot be found – recently presented its results and is heading to a second phase with more partners. The project advances the European effort at digitalising content through the Europeana project, a competing project to the Google Books project.