Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By William New Companies from the wealthiest nations continue to view a clampdown on theft of their intellectual property rights as key to improving their economic performance, and are targeting the largest developing countries in their effort. To their aid…
By Jia Hepeng for Intellectual Property Watch BEIJING – The revision of a long-controversial rule on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is stranded amidst heated debates. While the government-led revision committee is analysing its stipulations for future implementation, some experts say…
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 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 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…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen During a 4-8 December meeting of some 100 World Health Organization (WHO) member states and other stakeholders, the foundation was laid for discussions of a global plan for providing medicines for diseases predominantly affecting poor…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch An independent study of Britain’s intellectual property framework has found it essentially sound but in need of changes at the national and international levels. Many of its 54 recommendations appear uncontroversial, but several…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Participants in this week’s ground-breaking meeting of a World Health Organization group working to stimulate research on neglected diseases hailed the cooperative spirit of the group after three days. But early in the 7 December…
By William New Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) this week broke a longstanding deadlock over how to discuss better protection of traditional knowledge and folklore. In addition, several countries stepped up their call for talks on…