Concern Arises Over Proposed Pan-African IP Organisation 30/08/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A proposal to set up a Pan-African Intellectual Property Organisation (PAIPO) though still in its infancy already faces opposition and concern, including from those who fear that Africa is signing up to stricter IP protection levels than the continent is ready for, sources say. In addition, there is anxiety that […]
August/September Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 21/08/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter features the most important news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the IP community at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Geneva missions, regional and national IP offices, industry and non-governmental organisations, plus News Briefs on reports and events that do not […]
Rejected Novartis Cases Leave India’s TRIPS Compliance Unchallenged 07/08/2007 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch As Indian lawyers for Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis comb through a High Court judgment published today, the question of whether the Indian patent law is compliant with a World Trade Organization treaty remains unanswered. The judgment, from the Indian High Court in Chennai, threw out two highly contentious […]
Las cuestiones de propiedad intelectual permanecen en juego en las negociaciones de la OMC 06/08/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por William New Las cuestiones de propiedad intelectual podrán no ser “decisivas” en la actual ronda de negociaciones de liberalización del comercio en la Organización Mundial del Comercio, pero siguen siendo un factor relevante. En la sesión de apertura de la semana pasada del Comité de Negociaciones Comerciales (CNC), el Director General de la OMC […]
Observers Watchful Of US Trade Impact On Medicines Access 24/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States has begun incorporating a revised intellectual property and health policy into its bilateral trade deals. But although the overall softer approach towards its partners may improve access to medicines, the debate on the impact of the US free trade agreements on public health in developing countries is […]
US Ruling Creates Uncertainty For Famous Foreign Trademarks 20/07/2007 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steve Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch In a ruling that surprised many trademark experts in the United States, one of the country’s most respected appellate courts recently cut back on the protection given to famous foreign trademarks. If such marks are well known in the US but are not registered or used in the country, they are unprotected by federal law, according to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
WIPO Committee Extends, Adjusts Mandate On Traditional Knowledge, Folklore 13/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen After intense, last-minute discussions, a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) committee decided to renew its current mandate, with a slightly stronger emphasis on the direction of its future work. Meeting Chair I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, the Indonesian ambassador, told Intellectual Property Watch that “the old mandate still exists” but […]
Second Life Copyright Case: New World, Same Old Laws? 13/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Far from being a bizarre by-product of the online society created by Second Life, a recently launched US intellectual property (IP) infringement case against one of its “avatars” is very much grounded in the real world, legal experts say. However, the fact that the first-of-its-kind case involves a “virtual” product raises interesting legal and social questions, they say.
WIPO TK Committee Moves To Consultations To Map Out Future Work 11/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen With a day remaining in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) committee meeting on traditional knowledge and genetic resources, the chair has moved to informal consultations with regional coordinators to discuss the future of the committee, whose mandate expires this year. Meanwhile, the African Group has submitted a new paper […]
Panelists Predict Future International IP Protection Of Traditional Knowledge 11/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen National intellectual property protection regimes for traditional knowledge in Peru and China were seen as somewhat effective by panelists at a side-event to a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting this week, but the general message was that there still is need for an international system. Speakers also predicted that new […]