Original news and analysis on international IP policy
A seminar on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications was held at the United Nations last week with panellists exploring the intersection between intellectual property and human rights in the context of public health, agriculture, and the role of flexibilities to achieve balance between private and public interests.
The US government shutdown is now in its second week, causing more and more of the country’s intellectual property regime to grind to a halt. The shutdown’s effects also are rippling overseas, hindering US efforts to negotiate two major international trade deals containing significant IP provisions.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) last week held a mandated seminar on the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications. In some cases, intellectual property rights may not be helping, according to speakers.
Mutual understanding between the international trade community and internet stakeholders would be of great benefit to help adjust the multilateral trade regime to the rapidly changing landscape of the digital economy.
The US Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center organised a panel during the World Trade Organization Public Forum last week to explore what industry sees as challenges of trade in the digital age. Three panellists presented concerns - mainly counterfeiting - and solutions they have put in place to address such challenges.
A panel of industry representatives presented their views at the World Trade Organization on the diffusion of innovation, calling intellectual property rights key to the process. Meanwhile, another panel looked at innovation as a growth strategy for the global South.
Academics and experts from international organisations met last week at the World Trade Organization to discuss the role of know-how in today’s global economy, stressing the relevance of trade secrets in global value chains and international transfer of technology.
In recent years, the Caribbean has been placed under a considerable amount of pressure to comply with the international regimen on intellectual property rights writes Abiola Inniss.
The inner workings of United Nations agencies can be very complicated, with clashes of cultures and management styles and any number of pressures. The case of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization appears to be a particular example in this respect.
Innovation holds a centre stage at the World Trade Organization Public Forum this year. During the opening plenary today, the WTO director general said the organisation needs updating. And some participants said international trade is at a crossroads, with much to gain or lose.