Ministers Discuss Climate Change In Copenhagen This Week 16/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment On 16-17 November, the Danish minister for climate and energy is hosting a preview to the high-profile conference in United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in early December. Over 40 countries are participating in this week’s event, according to a Danish ministry document [pdf], including large economies such as Brazil, China, […]
Farmers’ Advocacy Groups Rejected As Observers In Plant Rights Organisation 10/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) has denied two farmers’ advocacy organisations observer status to its governing Council on grounds that they have not demonstrated expertise relevant to the intergovernmental body’s work, stirring concern that opposition groups are being denied participation. Meanwhile, the functional head of UPOV will step down this spring after a decade of leadership, with several candidates in the running for his replacement.
IP Rights In Starting Blocks For Copenhagen, But Issue Still Uncertain 06/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BARCELONA – Weeklong climate negotiations came to an end today, and despite the assurance from most delegations that everything is still possible in the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, many issues remain in doubt. Among them are finance, emissions reduction, technology transfer, and the nature of the agreement to be built in Copenhagen.
ACTA Internet Chapter Leak Signals Far-Reaching Copyright Policy 05/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments As governments negotiating the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) meet in Seoul this week, public interest concern has surfaced over leaked information on internet enforcement.
Medicines Access Again Captures Attention At WTO As Progress Urged In Round 30/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Access to medicine and preservation of biodiversity topped the agenda at the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Council meeting this week, as a new alleged drug seizure in France, a concern over a largely-unused amendment to TRIPS intended to help developing countries gain access to medicine, and a renewed mandate on biodiversity at the World Intellectual Property Organization influenced the issues on the table.
Bilski Impact On Biotech Seen As Minimal; Experts See Court Shift 29/10/2009 by Sharon McLoone for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The intellectual property community is anxiously awaiting the United States Supreme Court’s reaction next month in the closely watched Bilski v. Kappos case, a legal feud over the validity of a patent covering a method of commodities trading. The outcome of the case could have broad implications for the patentability of business methods and software, which could potentially wallop the technology industry. It likely will have less impact in the biotechnology arena, experts said at the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s Intellectual Property Counsels Committee conference in Washington on Tuesday.
Changing Winds For Gene Patenting In the US? Stakeholders React To Draft Report 29/10/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A United States health department advisory group this month produced a new draft report on gene patenting and licensing with recommendations suggesting that excessive patenting can limit patients’ access to gene testing and might not foster genetic research. The recommendations were supported by a variety of health professionals but put the biotechnology industry on edge.
US Federal Circuit May Offer Patent, Tech Policy Guidance For High Court 23/10/2009 by Winter Casey for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Federal Circuit Court of Appeals should act more like a teacher to the Supreme Court and do a better job explaining its policy reasoning when it makes decisions on innovation-related cases, a top patent law academic said late Tuesday. If the Federal Circuit was clearer in how it landed at certain conclusions in patent disputes it might result in the Supreme Court opting to get involved in fewer patent cases, said Rochelle Dreyfuss, a professor at New York University School of Law.
Disagreements Remain In WHO Talks On Virus-Sharing After Chan Proposal 22/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Health Organization members this week offered views on the global system for virus- and benefit-sharing for pandemic influenza following recently proposed solutions by Director General Margaret Chan aimed at changing the current, ad-hoc model to a more predictable, sustainably-funded system.
Spurring Local Innovation In Africa By Improving Access To Information 19/10/2009 by Robinson Esalimba for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 1 Comment Greater awareness of the existence of open access information resources for innovation and making the information easily accessible and relevant to developing country users could help spur innovation in these countries, according to top technical assistance providers and local innovators.