US Courts Leave Patent Holders Seeking Stronger International Enforcement 29/05/2007 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steve Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch As more and more commerce crosses national borders, so do more and more items seen as infringing on patents. And patent holders are making a case for stronger international rules on enforcement to protect themselves. International intellectual property treaties enable an inventor to file one patent application and obtain patent rights in multiple countries, but the treaties do not provide similar mechanisms for multinational enforcement. A patentee can sue in each country where infringement occurs, but this is often prohibitively expensive, they say.
Friends of Development May Narrow WIPO Development Agenda Proposals 28/05/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The developing countries that in 2004 proposed an agenda for reform of the World Intellectual Property Organization toward stronger consideration of developing country needs are exploring a compromise in advance of the next WIPO meeting on the issue, according to government sources. About 70 proposals, some seen as far-reaching, are slated for […]
WHO Moves Closer To Guidelines On Avian Flu Sharing, Access 25/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) this week agreed on principles for sharing avian influenza virus samples through a global network. But the real terms and new guidelines related to intellectual property rights were put off until an October meeting in Indonesia, sources said. The agreement was reached near […]
Germany Discusses Digital Age Licensing Model For Public Broadcasters 21/05/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch German public broadcasters at a recent hearing of Germany’s Supreme Court warned against state interference with the funding of their programmes. The appeal by Germany’s large public broadcasting organisations ARD, ZDF and radio broadcaster “Deutschlandfunk” to the highest German court is primarily about money. But it may result […]
US To Loosen Drug Patent Provisions In Some Trade Deals 17/05/2007 by Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON – The White House has agreed to loosen restrictions on clinical test data and patent safeguards for pharmaceuticals in bilateral trade agreements between the United States and Peru, Panama, and Colombia as part of a broader agreement with congressional Democrats to spur progress on the Bush administration […]
IP Rises At Assembly As Brazil Proposes Greater WHO Role In Trade 17/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Intellectual property has become a major issue at this year’s World Health Assembly, with Brazil introducing a new draft resolution on public health, innovation and intellectual property, adding to various draft resolutions involving IP already under discussion. Meanwhile, a question was raised this week about WHO leadership on these issues. […]
The WIPO View On Enforcement, Idris And Development Agenda 14/05/2007 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Wolfgang Starein is the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) official with primary responsibility for enforcement of intellectual property rights. In a series of recent interviews with Intellectual Property Watch, Starein talked about WIPO’s enforcement agenda for the coming year, a January 2007 enforcement conference, access to knowledge, WIPO’s relationship to the World Trade Organization (WTO) […]
Brazil Takes Steps To Import Cheaper AIDS Drug Under Trade Law 07/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The government of Brazil has issued a license that will allow the importation of cheaper versions of a patented HIV/AIDS drug after negotiations failed to bring about agreement on price reductions with Merck, the US company holding the patent. Merck said it was “profoundly disappointed,” as Brazil’s action sparked a […]
US Investigators In Geneva To Review US Balance On IP, Public Health 03/05/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A team from the independent investigative arm of the United States Congress visited Geneva last week, interviewing insiders from the private sector, non-governmental and international organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding how the United States is balancing public health, intellectual property and market access, sources said. The visit […]
Industry: Criminal Checks Needed For Tasting, Kiting, Spying 03/05/2007 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch International organisations should step in to prevent the “tasting,” “kiting” and “spying” related to Internet domain names, say representatives from the US telecommunications and trademark industries. These new activities are dramatically altering online commerce and impacting legitimate businesses, and the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), World Intellectual […]