Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The 18th of September will mark the last shipment of lower-cost HIV/AIDS medicines from Canada to Rwanda under a World Trade Organization-sanctioned arrangement. The first shipment of the antiretroviral combination drug manufactured by Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex was sent in…
The European Commission Trade Directorate today adopted a "communication on enhancing the enforcement of intellectual property rights" within the European Union internal market that aims at greater coordination but stops short of new legislative measures.
The United States, often seen as toughest on other nations for their perceived failure to protect US intellectual property rights, was itself 19th [note: corrected from earlier version] in the world in such protection last year, according to the latest…
The United States State Department has received requested funding to operate 11 projects totalling nearly $4 million in fiscal year 2009 “combat transnational crime and promote the protection of intellectual property rights worldwide,” according to State. The funds enable US…
The World Intellectual Property Organization this week may have witnessed the beginnings of a resumption of high-level negotiations on an international treaty on the protection of audiovisual performances.
Senior officials from well over 100 nations at a five-day United Nations conference on Thursday issued a succinct declaration committing them to establish a global framework on the delivery of products and services related to climate change. But earlier negotiating versions of the declaration from the week obtained by Intellectual Property Watch show substantive disagreement and the removal of pages of draft text.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is teaming up with US pharmaceutical company Pfizer to hold a workshop in Mumbai, India on 9 September on “intellectual property and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.” Presentations at the non-governmental session will…
The Obama administration on Thursday announced several key changes related to intellectual property rights and trade.
Scientists and bureaucrats meeting this week on climate change and weather data are struggling to move global discussion past general declarations of recognition and commitment to address environmental change. One bump under the rug at the United Nations conference is rights over environmental technologies, and a new UN report released Tuesday calls for investment and a focus on flexibilities in and possible changes to intellectual property rights rules to help developing countries access information and technologies.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday appeared to look favourably upon David Kappos, the Obama administration nominee for undersecretary of Commerce and director of the US Patent and Trademark Office. But in the process, Kappos showed possible weaknesses in separating himself from his job at IBM and the need for international diplomacy on IP enforcement.
A Northern California academic and a top national fundraiser for President Obama may be the next US ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, according to sources. Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, wife of eBay CEO and President John Donahoe, holds a law degree, two master’s degrees and a PhD in a variety of subjects, and is rumoured to be the nominee for the post empty since January.
Cette semaine, les États membres de l’Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle (OMPI) ont procédé à un examen minutieux du projet de programme et de budget pour l’exercice 2010-2011 proposé par le Secrétariat de l’Organisation, le premier à refléter entièrement le réalignement stratégique que Francis Gurry, son directeur général, entend opérer au sein de cette institution spécialisée de l’ONU.