Countries Begin Push To Reduce Differences In Patent Laws
Some of the leading patent-filing nations this week renewed an effort to harmonise procedures for filing patents in their national offices. Image Credits: Eric Bridiers, US Mission
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
William New
Patent Landscape For Hepatitis Issued By WHO
The World Health Organization has published an analysis of the patent situation for new hepatitis treatments, and a call for possible pharmaceutical products for prequalification.
Panellists Discuss Value Of Patent Pooling For HIV/AIDS, Potential For Other Diseases
A side event to this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization annual General Assembly highlighted the work of the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool in fighting HIV/AIDS, and discussed whether it makes sense for the patent pool model to be extended to other diseases.
WIPO Staff Council Head Fired On Eve Of Annual Assembly; Chair Asked To Share Reports On Gurry
The World Intellectual Property Organization administration received a strong reaction from UN unions on Friday night when it fired the president of the UN agency’s staff association on the eve of the annual WIPO General Assembly. Meanwhile, the General Assembly chair has been called on to provide to member states the results of two confidential reports evaluating allegations made against the WIPO director general.
Top Officials Proposed For WIPO; Tied To Director’s Term
After months of consideration and an application process that attracted 360 applicants, the World Intellectual Property Organization secretariat has made public its proposed names for the top posts at the UN agency for the next six years. Only four out…
‘Google’ Not A Generic Term Yet, US Court Says
Googling may be a ubiquitous fact of life, but the company behind the term still has trademark rights, a US court has found.
African Declaration On Internet Rights And Freedoms
Infojustice.org writes: Last week, 23 civil society groups released the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms at the Internet Governance Forum, infojustice.org reports. The declaration is organized around twelve key principles, including Freedom of Expression and the Right to Information and Open Data.
WIPO Committee Advances Decisions On Programme, Budget, Oversight
The powerful World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee in its recent meeting worked through a tough agenda of core decisions about the UN organisation’s functioning and future. The committee reached decisions on key issues related to strengthened oversight, the 2014-2015 programme, and financial issues, but couldn’t break through on issues like new WIPO field offices, streamlining committee meetings, accounting for development expenditures, or funding indigenous representatives to participate in WIPO negotiations.
UN Human Rights Council Hears Discussion On Right To Privacy In Digital Age
The UN Human Rights Council today held a panel discussion in Geneva on the right to privacy in the digital age, featuring several experts. The panel was part of a larger effort by the Council to address the increasingly urgent issue.
Old (former IPR-Thieving) Napster v New (IPR-Thieving) Napster.fm?
The World Intellectual Property Organization this week released the decision in an internet domain name dispute in which the current incarnation of the once-wildly successful Napster music-sharing website successfully forced a website called napster.fm to shut down over intellectual property rights violations. Is Napster still cool?
New European Commissioners Announced Under Changed Structure
The structure of new European Commissioners and top officials was announced today, showing changes to the handling on intellectual property issues and many others.
US Tech Groups Tell Senate: Curb US Surveillance To Restore Trust, Markets
Leading US trade associations representing the high-technology industry yesterday issued a joint letter urging the Senate to pass reforms to US surveillance programmes. The effort comes after revelations about the US surveillance have harmed overseas markets for US technologies, they said.