Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The World Intellectual Property Organization has been known to be different from the rest of the United Nations family in that it earns most of its own revenues, and typically operates with a budget surplus. But recognising that it could better meet the needs of its members with additional funds, it now is turning to the international donor community.
How to achieve effective technology transfer stirred up discussion this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and IP (CDIP). Meanwhile, members are conducting informal negotiations to bridge differences over what kind of mechanism is needed to coordinate the Development Agenda as a whole.
Systematic and sustained programmes aimed at identifying and supporting African innovative talent may be a key part of Africa’s technological evolution, according to researchers and young entrepreneurs interviewed by Intellectual Property Watch. In the second part of a two-part series highlighting innovation challenges in Africa, Intellectual Property Watch focuses on harnessing and nurturing African innovation talent.
New business models might bring down vaccine prices and public-private partnerships could open the way to new treatments to deadly tropical diseases but some countries are lagging behind in their investments to reach their health targets, according to reports from public health organisations holding meetings in different parts of the world.
The World Trade Organization General Council, the WTO’s highest-level decision-making body in Geneva, on Tuesday received the annual report for the WTO committee on intellectual property rights. In it were descriptions of the past year’s IP debates and recommendations for extensions of deadlines.
On 13 November, an amended settlement agreement was filed with the Court by the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers and Google in Authors Guild v. Google, and a motion for preliminary approval of the amended settlement, according to…
Deciding on a mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda will be the biggest area of discussion at this week’s WIPO meeting on IP and development, sources have said. But discussion also will focus on specific implementation projects.
Brazil has announced the list of 222 American products that could suffer retaliation with tariff rates of more than 100 percent of the value when imported to Brazil. The list could be followed by another including potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in non-tariff items related to intellectual property rights such as lower-priced patented pharmaceuticals.
ALEXANDRIA - Dining on fresh fish beneath a golden sunset overlooking the Mediterranean beneath which lie the remains of the ancient Library of Alexandria, the conversation turns to the invention of written language. A light-hearted debate breaks out between an Egyptian and a Syrian over the origins of the first alphabet several thousand years ago, but is left for the time being when the Syrian asserts, “We invented the alphabet, you invented writing.”
On 16-17 November, the Danish minister for climate and energy is hosting a preview to the high-profile conference in United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in early December. Over 40 countries are participating in this week’s…
This month’s signing by the Czech Republic of the Lisbon Treaty updating the rules of the European Union will bring a few noticeable changes to the way the EU conducts policymaking activities, and to its focus on intellectual property rights.
The Patent Prosecution Highway, an information sharing network between certain patent offices, has recently had its potential expanded thanks to a new agreement between two of the “trilateral” IP offices, according to the group’s site [pdf]. In addition to the…