Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By William New World Intellectual Property Organization officials negotiating this week on how to improve broadcasters’ and cablecasters’ ability to protect their signals have attempted to move into a deeper debate using an informal chair’s text of a draft treaty.…
By William New Just months before full-fledged negotiations are expected to begin on a treaty to boost broadcasters’ and cablecasters’ rights, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) negotiators meeting this week to iron out differences struggled to find their footing for…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
Last year saw the apparent demise of two hotly contested European Union intellectual property policy proposals, the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) and consideration of a pan-European copyright levy on blank audiovisual media. This year could prove a bit quieter, although a European Commission plan to criminalise some IP infringements may prove no less controversial.
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen
The year 2006 was a busy one in terms of health policy developments related to intellectual property rights, and a quick look at the events ahead in 2007 shows that the coming year should be no less interesting.
By John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – At the 3 January roundtable discussion concerning the work at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on a broadcasters’ rights treaty, many of the more than 50 participants were…
By William New In her opening remarks to staff on her first day in office, new World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan said she would not rock the organisation boat, would focus policy on women and Africa, issued a warning…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Switzerland has begun a new kind of collaboration at the national level with the aim of moving beyond the old “patents are good/patents are bad” debate, particularly when it comes to intellectual property and public…
By William New In a recent meeting, a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) committee agreed to increase its activity related to intellectual property rights and genetic resources. This could have significance for negotiations on the issue currently at the World…
By William New Just in time for the New Year, the United States Congress has passed a bill that will continue to allow the production of knock-off champagnes from outside of France. The European Union is currently examining a bill…
By William New As the year end draws near, United States government officials are marking the ground for international intellectual property debates to come in 2007. On 13 December, Senator Patrick Leahy, incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee released…