Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Speculation since May about who will lead the secretariat in a new intergovernmental working group on intellectual property and public health at the World Health Organization may now be put to rest as it is…
By William New BERLIN – Wikipedia, the popular community-driven online encyclopedia, is doomed to “amateurism” and should be complemented by a more serious effort, says one of the project’s creators who announced plans to launch an alternative. Larry Sanger, chief…
By William New A proposal to negotiate a treaty to expand the rights of broadcasters and cablecasters cleared a key committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization on 13 September despite outstanding disagreements among committee members. “The draft basic proposal…
Concern is high over the impact on the global public’s access to knowledge of increasing copyright restrictions on that knowledge. Scientists, academics, publishers and others at a September seminar in Alexandria, Egypt discussed how to ensure proper balance between rights…
By William New A proposed treaty to strengthen rights for broadcasters faces a critical test next week at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Government negotiators are under pressure to finish preliminary work on a draft treaty before the 25 September…
By William New The impact of intellectual property policy on innovation and development may have been overstated, and a framework is needed for analysing the linkage between these concepts in developing countries, according to a United Nations researcher. While intellectual…
By Frederick Noronha for Intellectual Property Watch NEW DELHI – For a judge, Yatindra Singh of India’s Allahabad high court is surprisingly outspoken. For a member of the bench, he is also amazingly tech-savvy. And as he talks technology, or…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A Swedish political movement seeking drastic changes to intellectual property law is resonating internationally, according to a spokesman for the group called the Pirate Party. The party, whose platform calls for fair and…
By Frederick Noronha for Intellectual Property Watch NEW DELHI – What do seeds have in common with software? Or age-old medicines with copyright lawyers? And, what’s the link between ayurvedic medicines and techies talking free software in Bangalore? Such issues…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The 5 September deadline to fill the top leadership post at the World Health Organization (WHO) is drawing nearer and at least eight candidates have been put forward, of which six are from developing countries…
In the Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter: Latest changes in officials responsible for intellectual property at the Bolivian, Indian, Jordanian and Tunisian missions, and the Center for International Environmental Law. The Monthly Reporter features unique summaries of events, the latest…
In the aftermath of the late July collapse of the Doha Development Round negotiations at the World Trade Organization, some are looking for reasons and next steps. Much focus has been placed on the agriculture stalemate, but intellectual property issues…