Original news and analysis on international IP policy
In a long-awaited decision, a United States federal appeals court has decided that US companies can patent breast cancer genes, reversing a previous ruling. The decision was not unanimous, with one of the three judges dissenting. But despite the attention the case has received, the ruling may have little impact on the biotechnology industry, according to analysts.
Delegates working on an international instrument to protect traditional knowledge and folklore against misappropriation today agreed this afternoon to ask the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly in September to extend the mandate of the committee working on those issues.
Delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week continued work on evolving draft texts of treaties to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs), or folklore. But more work will be needed to complete them, according to participants.
As the mandate of the World Intellectual Property committee on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and folklore is reaching its end, diplomats meeting this week seem to be coming to agreement on its extension. Meanwhile, a group of developing countries submitted proposals for each of the three legs of the committee, to be considered as delegates go through draft negotiating texts produced at the last session of the committee.
World Intellectual Property Organization member countries next week will work on draft negotiating texts on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. New recommendations by a set of developing countries are calling for a diplomatic conference in 2013, and to extend the work of the committee in charge of reaching an international instrument, as its mandate ends this year.
The World Intellectual Property Organization has taken its first public steps in the climate change debate by holding a conference on the subject this week. The organisation’s expertise in intellectual property policy and technology transfer is being sought by several other actors in the field, in particular the United Nations climate change agency.
An international treaty on the protection of audiovisual performances might be back on track after a hiatus of over 10 years, as World Intellectual Property Organization delegates today reached an agreement on a text and will propose to the WIPO General Assembly to convene a high-level negotiation. A major step was also taken in the direction of a possible treaty on copyright limitations and exceptions for blind and visually impaired people, according to all sides, although some countries are still in favour of a softer instrument.
The US House of Representatives this evening passed HR 1249 – the closest action patent reform has come to being enacted into law in the past 10 years. But there were some changes made to the bill.
After a week of substantive discussions about potential international instruments on the protection of broadcasting and audiovisual rights, and on providing limitations and exceptions to copyright for visually impaired people, pressure is building at the World Intellectual Property Organization as the end of the negotiating session draws near.
Intellectual Property Watch is providing play-by-play action from today’s floor debate of HR 1249, the bill to reform US patent law which is facing a fight. For IP-Watch Subscribers.
A cross-cutting group of major World Intellectual Property Organisation members today produced a “non-paper” on limitations and exceptions to copyright for visually impaired readers at a WIPO meeting on copyright. The group had met in informal consultations for a few months and achieved consensus on the substance this morning, according to sources.
Copyright is necessary to allow authors to live from their trade and to guarantee their independence, and exceptions should be decided by authors and publishers, according to panellists on a copyright dialogue held at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week.