Original news and analysis on international IP policy
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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The countries that own most of the world’s intellectual property rights have all but completed an agreement among themselves that raises the level of protection of those rights while appearing to reduce obligations placed on rights holders. Now they’ll need to find ways to apply it to the countries of the world seen as responsible for much of the infringing material.
Member states of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) today re-elected Hamadoun Touré of Mali as ITU Secretary-General of ITU for a second four-year term.
The Internet Policy Task Force of the United States Commerce Department today issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking comment from any interested stakeholders - including rights holders, internet service providers, and consumers - on the "protection of copyrighted works online and the relationship between copyright law and innovation in the internet economy."