Category News

WTO Members Call For More TRIPS Talks; Director Post May Open Up

By William New Whether the World Trade Organization director general position will be up for grabs in the new year remains a question, as current DG Pascal Lamy is deciding by December whether to run for the post again. Meanwhile,…

President Bush Signs New IP Enforcement Bill Into Law

By Catherine Saez President Bush on Monday signed into law a bill strengthening civil and criminal laws against counterfeiting and piracy, boosting resources for enforcement and prosecution, and changing coordination of IP enforcement issues within the Executive Branch. Under the…

Stage Set For WIPO To Advance On Traditional Knowledge, Folklore Protection

By Kaitlin Mara The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on traditional knowledge and genetic resources meets next week with a new sense of purpose. New on the table are two detailed reports from the secretariat highlighting areas where international policy…

Intellectual Property And Access Can Co-Exist, US Rightsholders Say

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – There is a growing backlash against intellectual property rights and international rules aimed at protecting innovation and ideas in certain parts of the globe, several pharmaceutical and other innovator…

ICANN Tries To Alleviate Concerns About Independence And Its Future

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch In September 2009, the joint project agreement between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the United States government comes to a close. Now the organisation responsible for coordinating the…

US Congress Hastens Through Flurry Of IP Legislation Before Departure

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch In the waning days of this congressional session in the United States, US lawmakers are passing a flurry of intellectual property-related bills. One of the bills awaiting President Bush’s signature would create…