Original news and analysis on international IP policy
A recent multinational crackdown on illegal activity in the anonymous channels of the so-called Darknet resulting in multiple arrests around the world was intended to thwart rampant online intellectual property theft. But how much the dragnet will help to thwart cybercrime in the future remains in question.
Intellectual property in Russia will become a subject of antitrust regulation starting next year, according to recent statements of an official spokesman of the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS).
NAIROBI, Kenya -- Patent protection is a challenge to many an inventor in developing countries. Inventors in most African countries, for instance, are compelled to surmount huge obstacles to protect their inventions. In order to remedy the situation, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum has launched an Inventor Assistance Programme (IAP). Now, the local inventor community in Kenya has a few words for WIPO on how to expand the programme to make it more effective on the ground. Trust is one of them.
A new international alliance to support the United Nations Resolution on Antimicrobial Resistance was launched this week. The Conscience of Antimicrobial Resistance Accountability (CARA) aims to bring together organisations committing to reporting on mutually agreed upon indicators in countries around the world, and to hold the UN and other stakeholders accountable to their commitments.
Now in her final weeks in office [Update: she has continued in the role under President Trump], United States Patent and Trademark Office Director Michelle Lee today looked back over the Obama administration's work on patents and made predictions for the next administration due to take over in January. She hailed the outgoing administration's successes and said to expect a continued focus on a strong IP system, legislative changes on hot button issues but not right away, and continued engagement around the world.
World Intellectual Property Organization members this week are expected to move toward common ground on a treaty protecting broadcasters against piracy. Some members are showing signs of impatience and are pushing for a swift resolution of issues to convene a high-level negotiating meeting in 2018. The WIPO copyright committee will also continue discussing exceptions to copyrights for archives, libraries, and research institutions. New WIPO Deputy Director General for copyright Sylvie Forbin opened the meeting today.
Trade secrets have gained the favour of a growing number of companies, according to speakers at a side event held in the margins of last week’s World Trade Organization intellectual property committee meeting. Organised by the European Union, Japan, and the United States, the side event explored the reasons why companies choose to protect their innovations through trade secrets.
European Union trade politicians in several meetings this week in Brussels reflected on the future of trade policy, also impacted by the US elections. “It is a changed world, period,” Iuliu Winkler, vice-chair of the parliamentary International Trade (INTA) Committee (European People's Party) said at the opening of the EU Trade Policy Day, expressing the general sentiment. While many members of INTA committee underlined the need of Europe to press ahead with their trade negotiations internationally, those critical of an aggressive trade agenda were eager to have their arguments not to be mixed with what was criticised as populist fear-mongering against globalisation.
This week at the World Trade Organization intellectual property committee a range of mostly developed countries requested to discuss regional innovation models, and countries presented examples of such models. The committee also addressed the issue of “non-violation” complaints and issues of biodiversity and trade, observers, and e-commerce.
A much-anticipated report on progress in global access to essential medicines released today has found that change is needed to the system of paying for research and development, including moving beyond sole reliance on patents to cover R&D costs. It calls for a global R&D policy framework, a possible patent pool for essential medicines, addresses financing issues, and claims to have developed a new cost model. Meanwhile, comments ranged from two ministers from the Netherlands said the system is broken while a leading industry executive criticised it for questioning the patent system.