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Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual Property Watch

Reports on the interests and behind-the-scenes dynamics that influence the design and implementation of international intellectual property policies.
By Intellectual Property Watch

Post Frequency: 15.8/day

Last Entry: April 01, 2011 at 09:41:17

Food Security Rests On Wild Plant Genetic Diversity, Says UN

Posted on October 26, 2010
The world's future food security could ride on the ability to save the wild cousins of crops usually cultivated for human consumption, says a Food and Agriculture Organization report out today. Related Articles:UN Eyes Next Steps On Food Security; Biotech Pleased With Summit Mention Year Ahead: Key Year For Biodiversity, Environment, Food Security, Traditional Knowledge Right To Food Mandate Renewed By UN Agency

Change Coming To Quiet UN Plant Variety Protection Agency?

Posted on October 26, 2010
Two new civil society observers were admitted last week to the Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) though whether that represents a cultural shift for the organisation or simply a procedure that has now been followed depends on who you ask...

Protocol on ABS Could Further Impoverish Indigenous Peoples, Groups Claim

Posted on October 26, 2010
Indigenous peoples today walked out of the ongoing negotiations at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, according to an indigenous representative. Indigenous Peoples are being left with a bitter taste from the draft text of a protocol intended to protect against misappropriation of genetic resources and ensure the sharing of the benefits which arise from use of those resources under discussion by negotiators who may not hold the views of those peoples...

Climate-Ready Crop Patents Present Danger For Biodiversity, Group Says

Posted on October 26, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - A civil society group this week warned government officials gathered here against patents on ?climate-ready? crops and what they characterised as an attempt to obtain an exclusive monopoly over plant gene sequences. The group asked states at the United Nations biodiversity conference to recognise that such patents are a threat to biodiversity and to the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources...

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European Ruling Could Reshape Collective Copyright Levy System

Posted on October 25, 2010
In a ruling expected to rock Europe?s controversial copyright levy system, the European Court of Justice held on 20 October that governments may impose fees on digital reproduction equipment to compensate rights holders only when the devices are likely to be used for private copying...

Negotiators Persist On Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Treaty Despite Slipping Deadlines

Posted on October 24, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - The monumental statue in the courtyard of the Nagoya Congress Center, featuring a warrior on his horse, could be an illustration of the work of the group of officials charged with negotiating a much-anticipated international treaty to protect genetic resources from misappropriation and justly reward provider countries...

New Draft Biodiversity Treaty Text Shows Much Work Remains; Co-Chairs Hopeful

Posted on October 23, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - In weekend attire, delegates in charge of negotiating an international binding instrument protecting countries against misappropriation of their genetic resources arrived at Nagoya Congress Center on Saturday afternoon to take up a new draft text with a day and a half to solve remaining issues...

Flexibility In Government Procurement Needed For Developing Countries

Posted on October 22, 2010
If public procurement for innovation is to be seen as part of developing countries? industrial-policy portfolio, a recent paper argues accession to the GPA would not help, and advises against it, writes Riaz K. Tayob. Related Articles:Economists Report Empirical Evidence Of TRIPS Impact On Developing Countries Developing Countries Blast WHO Report On IP, Demand “Credible” Approach Geneva Events Address Public Health Solutions For Developing Countries

Biodiversity Negotiators Move Treaty Text Forward; Deadline Pushed To Monday

Posted on October 22, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN ? Officials negotiating this week on an international agreement to stop misuse of genetic resources appear to have reached minimal consensus on additional articles of the draft text under negotiation, though many specific areas of disagreement were resolved, they said...

Wide Industry Coalition Backs US Internet Anti-Piracy Bill

Posted on October 22, 2010
What do entertainment, sports, health, religion, fashion, jewelry, champagne, software and even tattoos have in common - other than being a large portion of the elements of any developed society? Related Articles:Copyright Industry Makes Pitch For Economic Benefit Of Anti-Piracy In Developing Countries New US Broadband Internet Plan Scrutinised; Cybersecurity Bill Includes IP ICC IP Guidelines Issued At Anti-Piracy Gala

Indigenous Groups Allege Canadian Obstructionism To Biodiversity ABS Protocol

Posted on October 21, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - With the clock ticking and less than a day to go before a draft of a legally binding instrument to prevent biopiracy is due to be presented to the assembly of a major United Nations meeting on biodiversity, delegations kept trying to find acceptable language, with different echoes coming from the negotiating room...

Stakeholders Restless About Biodiversity Benefit Sharing Protocol

Posted on October 21, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - Negotiations on a legal international instrument to prevent biopiracy and ensure that resource holders are compensated on Thursday continued to demand the attention of delegates in the closed-door discussions here. Meanwhile, civil society argued that the Convention on Biological Diversity is at a critical point while a research institute provided a model agreement for providers and users of genetic resources...

Draft Report Of Plant Variety Protection Council Now Available

Posted on October 21, 2010
The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) held its Council meeting on 21 October, approving the participation of two public interest groups that were rejected at a previous meeting as observers to the Council (IPW, WIPO, 28 March 2010)...

Emerging Economies’ New Initiative On Falsified And Substandard Medicines

Posted on October 21, 2010
Several major generic-medicine producing nations last week held a discussion on the dangers of compromised medical products and joined together to urge new steps such as defining terms, focussing on public health and strengthening national regulatory capabilities beyond strictly enforcement actions that they say have been manipulated and at times counterproductive...

Copyright Industry Makes Pitch For Economic Benefit Of Anti-Piracy In Developing Countries

Posted on October 20, 2010
Copyright law is not always a barrier to access to knowledge, but lack of adequate or predicable copyright enforcement in developing countries can prevent the evolution of their own local creative industries, said several representatives from such industries yesterday...

Study Touts Economic Benefits Of Biodiversity

Posted on October 20, 2010
A study showing the economic benefits of biodiversity and the costs of its destruction was released today at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity conference in Nagoya, Japan. Related Articles:UN Biodiversity Negotiators To Work From Single Text On Access, Benefits Biodiversity: Bountiful Source For Cosmetics, But Needs Respect, Group Says Third Try Set For CBD Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Treaty

NGOs: Biopiracy Ongoing As Governments Slowly Negotiate International Instrument

Posted on October 20, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - Discussions on a draft protocol to prevent biopiracy were intense again on Wednesday, with night sessions going late as delegation try to find common language on a legally binding instrument. Around the discussions, undertaken mostly behind closed doors, side events convened by civil society are warning about numerous cases of biopiracy, and the urgent need for a meaningful protocol...

Minister: India Anticipates European Fix To Law Delaying Generics Shipments

Posted on October 20, 2010
Europe has promised at the "highest levels" to fix laws that caused generic medicine seizures in the Netherlands, the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry said today. The minister is in Geneva for meetings on the ongoing Doha Round trade liberalisation talks at the World Trade Organization...

US Attorney General In China Talks Tough, Blurs Line, On IP

Posted on October 19, 2010
United States Attorney General Eric Holder today called on other governments to join in intensifying the fight against intellectual property infringement, on the theme that, ?intellectual property crimes are not victimless.? But his law enforcement argument may need finessing to reach all stakeholders...

Medicines Patent Pool Seeks Business Director

Posted on October 19, 2010
The Medicines Patent Pool, recently established with the support of drug-purchasing mechanism UNITAID, is searching for a new business director to manage relationships with current and potential new licensors and licensees of medicine-related patents...

WHO Moves IP, Innovation Out Of Director General’s Office

Posted on October 19, 2010
The World Health Organization has moved responsibility for intellectual property and innovation issues out of the direct control of the WHO director general and into the company of information, evidence and research, according to sources. Related Articles:New WHO Faces On IP, Innovation; Matsoso Named South Africa Health Director Eduardo Pisani Of Bristol-Myers Squibb Is New IFPMA Director General New WHO Documents Show Results On IP, Innovation, Technology Transfer

UN Conference Delegates See Protocol Against Biopiracy Within Reach

Posted on October 19, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN - Prospects for completing and approving a protocol protecting natural resources from biopiracy and providing equitable sharing of benefits derived from the commercial use of those resources are promising, according to delegates. But hard negotiations lie ahead if they are to meet a deadline to present an agreed draft protocol to the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) by the end of this week...

Special Report: Are Copyright Trolls The Future Of Digital Content Protection?

Posted on October 18, 2010
Entrepreneurial law firms in the United States and United Kingdom are targeting suspected internet infringers through mass letter-writing and lawsuit campaigns. Are ?copyright trolls? the way of the future for protecting digital content? Related Articles:Review Of US Digital Millennium Copyright Act Brings New Exemptions Brazil?s Discussion On Copyright Law Reform – Response To The Digital Era? Special Report: The Potential Consequences of Google’s Electronic Book Initiative

Two New Books On IP In The WTO

Posted on October 18, 2010
A new two-volume set of books entitled Intellectual Property in the WTO, edited by high-impact academic Carlos Correa, is now available. For a short time, publisher Edward Elgar company is offering a 20 percent discount for Intellectual Property Watch readers...

WTO Paragraph 6 Meeting Aims At Improved Use Of Health Waiver

Posted on October 16, 2010
The agenda has been circulated for the upcoming annual World Trade Organization review of an amendment to international IP trade law that has so far failed to increase access to needed medicines for the poorest economies. It shows a deeper look at existing measures and opens the possibility of new solutions to the issue...

WIPO Patent Committee Chair’s Text Shows Possible Future Work

Posted on October 15, 2010
The chair of World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) today circulated a text reflecting possible elements of future work for the committee. The text, which is now the subject of informal discussions, includes key parts of proposals put forward earlier in the week...

As Negotiators Launch Talks On Biodiversity, Industry Requests IP Protection

Posted on October 15, 2010
This week, global attention will be focussed on hopes to reach an international agreement aimed at giving the world a better chance to reduce the loss of biodiversity and ensure benefits are being shared. Intellectual Property Watch will be in Nagoya, Japan to report on the negotiations...

WIPO Returns To Substantive Patent Law Talks After 5 Years, With Balance

Posted on October 15, 2010
Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization today agreed on the first work programme for the committee on patent law in nearly five years. The delicate accord, reached after a long week of mostly closed negotiations, was quickly hailed by some as reflecting a new reality for the international patent system with stronger recognition of emerging economies? interests...

WTO TRIPS Consultations Tomorrow

Posted on October 14, 2010
World Trade Organization members will convene tomorrow morning for an open-ended informal session of the WTO negotiations on geographical indications, in the run-up to next week's meeting of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council...

Patents In Cosmetics: Disclosure Of Origin Arduous, Report Says

Posted on October 14, 2010
A growing number of patents are being filed on plant-based ingredients for use in cosmetics, according to a new report from the Geneva-based Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT). Related Articles:Biodiversity: Bountiful Source For Cosmetics, But Needs Respect, Group Says Appellations Of Origin Discussed This Week At WIPO Canada Finds Patents No Help For Poorest In Need Of Medicine

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