Category Access to Knowledge/ Education

Intergovernmental Organisations Swap Notes On Working For Inclusive Trade

If world trade is to be more inclusive it needs to assess a populist backlash against trade that is occurring in different parts of the world, says Jean-Baptiste Velut, an associate professor at Sorbonne Nouvelle University of Paris. Velut was introducing a panel yesterday during the 5th World Trade Organization Public Forum, an annual event that brings together stakeholders and members of the public to discuss trade issues, with the focus this year on inclusive trade.

Peter Kenny
September 28, 2016

WiFi Providers Can Be Forced To Require Passwords On Rightsholder Request, ECJ Rules

The European Court of Justice today ruled that a shop offering Wifi is not liable for copyright infringements on its network but may be forced by rightsholders to require passwords to use the network. [Update: Reactions are being added below]

William New
September 15, 2016
1 Comment

UN High-Level Panel On Access To Medicines Issues “Landmark” Report

The long-awaited report by the United Nations High Level Panel on Access to Medicines was released today, making many recommendations. The panel calls for countries to embrace the policy space available in the World Trade Organization intellectual property rules, and invest more in health. It also calls for negotiation of a binding international treaty on research and development, delinking prices from R&D costs, greater transparency in drug pricing, public health impact assessments in free trade agreements, and encouragement to better use international legal tools available to countries to ensure affordable medical products. And it lays out the path ahead, calling for several new bodies to be created to take recommendations forward. [Note: story is being continuously updated during the day, now adding industry response]

Catherine Saez
September 14, 2016
10 Comments

European Commission Copyright Reform Proposal Sparks Many Jeers, Some Cheers

European Commission plans to overhaul EU copyright rules, officially published today, have prompted strong support and opposition. Controversy centres in particular around two proposals: The requirement that online services monitor against user-generated uploads of copyright-protected content, and the proposed grant of a “neighbouring right” to press publishers.

Dugie Standeford
September 14, 2016
2 Comments

Judge’s Opinion That EU Is Competent To Ratify Marrakesh Treaty Might Break Standstill

The European Union has exclusive competence to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired people, the advocate general of the Court of Justice of the EU has found. This conclusion, which was well-received by representatives of the visually impaired, could speed up the ratification of the treaty by the EU.

Catherine Saez
September 14, 2016
5 Comments

Important Agenda For WIPO Coordination Committee Tomorrow

On 12 September, a powerful member-state committee at the World Intellectual Property Organization will consider the nomination of a new head of copyright, and a sensitive agenda item on a highly secret UN report on whether the WIPO director general engaged in wrongdoing.

William New
September 12, 2016
1 Comment

Hyperlinks Can Infringe Copyright If Commercial, European High Court Says

A hyperlink on a website that links to copyrighted material and does not have the rights holder's consent may be allowable if for non-commercial purposes, the Court of Justice of the European Union said today. But it may infringe copyright if linked for profit and with knowledge of the lack of permission to link it, it said.

William New
September 8, 2016
3 Comments

US Copyright Office Charged With Industry Bias

The United States Copyright Office systematically hires officials from the copyright industries it serves and oversees, while excluding experts with other views, a public interest group has charged. Image Credits: US Copyright Office

William New
September 8, 2016
1 Comment

UNITAID Issues Call For Solutions To Overcome IP Barriers

UNITAID, the drug financing mechanism, has put out an appeal calling for ideas on solutions to overcome intellectual property barriers that may be preventing progress in public health. The deadline for submissions is coming near.

WHO Experts Seek To Have Its Flu Framework Recognised Under Nagoya Protocol

Will an international instrument protecting genetic resources get in the way of the world’s preparedness to fend off the next influenza pandemic? This is one of the questions left open for a group of experts reviewing the World Health Organization Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework. Meanwhile, one stakeholder is claiming to have been denied full and fair participation.

Catherine Saez
September 2, 2016
2 Comments

Industry’s Proposed Changes To Draft TPP Were Not Protected Under National Security Exemption, US Judge Says

Changes to the draft text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) suggested during negotiation of the treaty are not protected under the national security clause of the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a judge ruled yesterday in a rare rejection. But he also defended USTR’s protection of information on the basis that other countries in TPP might accuse the US of “steamrolling” them if US textual proposals from the negotiations were revealed.

William New
September 1, 2016
2 Comments

Access And Benefit Sharing Mentioned In US Patent For Natural Dye, Might Be A First

A recent patent granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to a Colombian company stated where the genetic resource of the invention was taken from and described the access and benefit-sharing agreement made with indigenous communities. This might be the first time that such a statement appears in a US patent, according to a source.

Catherine Saez
September 1, 2016
2 Comments