Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The United States Copyright Office held two days of hearings this week to consider new fair use exemptions to the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which prohibits breaking encryption on copyrighted digital material. Every three years, the Copyright Office…
RIO DE JANEIRO - The interaction between pharmaceutical companies and physicians has been discussed intensely in the last three years in Brazil, and recently has come under heightened scrutiny.
The recent commem-oration of Earth Day and World IP Day raised the importance of IP rights to innovation and jobs, says David Hirschmann of the US Chamber of Commerce. How about calling it “Green Innovation Week”?
The EU Parliament on Wednesday underlined its position that any limitations of the fundamental right of access to information is subject to a prior check by a judge. By voting for amendment No. 138/46 in the report of French Socialist…
Behind the day-to-day policy and technical work at the World Intellectual Property Organization, member governments' lobbying of new Director General Francis Gurry to obtain top positions for national officials at WIPO has been intensive in recent weeks and is near conclusion, according to sources. Among the pack of possible names is a recent former director of the US Patent and Trademark Office, according to sources.
If the United States enacts reform of its patent law, S 515, this year as proposed, it would cut discretionary spending by US$173 million over the period 2010-2014, according to a 30 April US Congressional Budget Office cost estimate. This…
The secretariat of the World Intellectual Property Organization is working this week to gain support for a proposal to get countries to better implement the UN organisation’s core revenue-generating instrument, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). But some developing countries are wary of the proposed changes, even as the United States is calling for a new PCT.
Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization in difficult negotiations last week approved a new plan for implementation of recommendations for deepening WIPO’s development focus, according to participants.
While heralded by patent- and copyright-based industries as a welcome step, the annual report on alleged inadequate protection of US intellectual property rights released by the Office of the US Trade Representative released this week is being blasted by some civil society groups.
Alicia Greenidge, director general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), has stepped down from the post.
World Trade Organization (WTO) members Thursday agreed to a second four-year term for current Director General Pascal Lamy. Prior to joining the WTO, Lamy was Commissioner for Trade at the European Commission, and also previously served as CEO of the…
The World Intellectual Property Organization should infuse its United Nations mandate and other aspects of the WIPO Development Agenda into all its norm-setting activities, panellists said this week.