Director Kazatchkine Resigns From The Global Fund
The Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Michel Kazatchkine, announced that he would step down by 16 March in a letter published on the Fund’s website.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category IP Policies
ICC’s 2012 IP Roadmap Lays Out Key Policy Issues
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) yesterday released a business guide to key intellectual property policy issues worldwide.
Obama Announces New Trade Enforcement Unit With IP Focus
In the annual State of Union address last night, US President Obama announced a new Trade Enforcement Unit that includes anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting.
EPO Advisory Board Priorities: Fees, Thickets, Quality
The European Patent Office Economic and Scientific Advisory Board today announced its priorities for research, including patents fees, thickets and quality.
ITU In “Urgent” Meeting On Global Spectrum As New Devices Gobble It Up
A high-level, highly technical UN meeting that occurs about once every four years at which key decisions are made about wireless communications opened today in Geneva. The meeting comes as devices such as smart phones and tablets are devouring many times more spectrum than mobile phones of the past.
Is Piracy Part Of The Digital Ecosystem?
The blog Monday Note has an analysis today on digital piracy in light of the media frenzy over the US Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill last week. The analysis suggests that anti-piracy measures like France's Hadopi are not working, but there is evidence that offering competitive legitimate download sites does work.
EU Telecoms Said To Be Unfairly Restricting Internet Access
French online rights group La Quadrature du Net this week announced an analysis asserting that in more than half of European Union countries, telecommunications operators engage in "illegitimate" restrictions of their users' access.
Government Anti-Piracy Measures Working, Music Industry Says
Industry profits from digital music are on the rise as industry-owned music download services expand and gain acceptance, anti-piracy efforts take hold in some countries, and internet intermediaries join in, music industry representatives said today.
Subscriber Alert: WHO Board Considers Key Reform Paper
The World Health Organization Executive Board today is being asked to approve a draft chair's summary of this week's Board discussions on the path to sweeping reform of the UN agency. But the document is unusual, according to some observers, in that it addresses major changes without being considered a negotiation or decision. [Update: this draft was approved by the Board with only the change of deadline for comments to 17 February.]
SOPA, Piracy, Pharmaceuticals May Dominate US IP Policy Discussions In 2012
Online piracy, patent reform and intellectual property issues relating to pharmaceuticals are among the top legislative and regulatory priorities for many stakeholder groups in the United States this year, but given that 2012 is an election year, chances are slim that Congress will push through anything that isn’t a top priority or that could cause too much partisan rancour.
US Cracks Down On Download Sites In Midst Of Anti-Piracy Debate
In the midst of the global flare-up over draft anti-piracy legislation in the US Congress this week, several heavy-hitting actions were taken in the United States against websites said to be supporting unauthorised content.
Occupy IP: New Economy Businesses Clash With Old
It may be too much, too late for content providers finally trying to tame the internet, and a fresh approach is needed, writes Bruce Berman.