Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By William New Down to the final hours before the closing ceremonies of this year’s World Health Assembly, governments have nearly completed work on a global strategy to stimulate research into neglected diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations. But work skipped…
[Note: new 23 May draft text of strategy and plan of action posted to IP-Watch Subscriber section] By William New Negotiators of a global strategy to boost innovation in and access to treatments for under-researched diseases largely afflicting the poor…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
NEW YORK - A United Nations group on Monday began debate on a publication aimed at helping the world's governments harmonise their secured financing and intellectual property laws.
The UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group VI is meeting in New York this week to hammer out differences various parties have on issues including transfer of intellectual property rights, creation of a security right, registries, and intellectual property rights related to tangible assets when those rights are used as collateral to secure credit.
By William New The 61st annual World Health Assembly on Monday opened auspiciously with speeches on the world’s biggest political issues, current disasters and looming global threats, but little room for intellectual property issues. IP issues did arise in a…
By Catherine Saez BERLIN – About 8,000 trademark professionals and industry representatives from more than 130 countries have gathered at this week’s International Trademark Association (INTA) meeting from 17 to 21 May. Trademark lawyers mostly come to this annual event…
[Note: Monday midday update below] By William New Member governments of the World Health Organization will try this week to finalise a strategy and plan of action to stimulate innovation on diseases disproportionately affecting poor populations. The members also will…
By Kaitlin Mara Nearly three weeks of meetings of governments, civil society organisations, trade groups, and intergovernmental bodies will report on how far nations have come towards bridging the so-called “digital divide” between those who have access to information technology…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch Despite an apparent stalemate on patent reform in the United States Congress, the Bush administration is still pushing for a bill to be completed this congressional session. Speaking in California’s Silicon Valley…
By Catherine Saez Intellectual property rights came into play in a recent discussion on the right of all humans to take part in cultural life organised by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). The right…
By Drew Clark for Intellectual Property Watch
WASHINGTON, DC - The chief US appeals court that rules on patent disputes has squarely reconsidered whether the United States' 1998 decision to allow greater berth for business method patents was the right intellectual property policy.
Adding heft to the position of changing course on business method patents was the US Patent and Trademark Office, which challenged a patent application on a method for financial hedging by inventors Bernard Bilski and Rand Warsaw.
The USPTO urged the court to reject the patent as ineligible subject matter. It offered a standard for invalidating the patent that demonstrated a dramatic change of course for the US government over the past 10 years.
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch The European Commission wants practical, pragmatic suggestions for fighting the “modern-day highway robbery” known as piracy and counterfeiting, Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said at a 13 May commission-sponsored high level conference on…
By Kaitlin Mara This year’s European Patent Forum concluded with a clear consensus on the importance of addressing the problem of climate change but with no clear way forward on how the intellectual property system might help. But leading figures…