Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Intellectual Property Watch Editor William New this week is chairing an IP Law Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada (US), being held from 12-14 September. The event is addressing latest issues at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), prospects…
A coalition of some two dozen non-governmental organisations yesterday sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative raising concern about the impact on access to medicines of intellectual property provisions in a regional, Asia-Pacific trade agreement, known as the…
The European Commission has launched its survey on intellectual property protection and enforcement in third countries. The survey is open until 31 October. Every two years the Commission conducts “a broad IPR enforcement survey,” that will serve, with other input,…
European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht today told the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg that it has become clear the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) could only be concluded by sticking to a minimum consensus. But this might result…
The third attempt at concluding negotiations on a draft protocol text on international biodiversity access and benefit-sharing will take place in Montreal on 18-21 September, according to official sources. Delegates at the meeting will try to agree on the text,…
There was significant activity at the close of the public comment period on Brazil’s proposed reform of its copyright law, according to blogger Volker Grassmuck, who has followed the reform effort closely. Grassmuck detailed a last minute rush in submissions…
The second meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Working Group on the Development of the Lisbon System (Appellations of Origin) is taking place in Geneva from 30 August – 3 September. At this meeting WIPO was expected to present…
Barely a year after her appointment as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Administrator for Policy and External Affairs, Arti Rai has resigned her position and will go back to a faculty position at Duke University Law School,…
Eight patents on HIV/AIDS medicines are being challenged by the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), a US-based nonprofit legal service group working to “protect the public from the harms caused by errors within the patent system, particularly the harms caused by…
Sagging stock prices in the second quarter of 2010 attracted the interest of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the foundation added the Goldman Sachs Group and Monsanto to its portfolio, according to the Dow Jones Newswires. The foundation…
German biotechnology company Bayer has met resistance in Brazil where the Paraná Federal Court revoked the authorisation for the commercial release of the company’s “Liberty Link” genetically modified maize on 27 July, according to a press release posted on the…
An international set of civil society groups today sent a letter to the European Union trade commissioner outlining concerns that the latest, leaked, version of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement under negotiation will introduce “new and unbalanced intellectual property rules” which…