Category Development

USTR: IPRs Among “Most Challenging” Issues As TPP Talks Accelerate

Intellectual property rights are among the three “most challenging” issues still to be resolved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement negotiations following the latest round that wrapped up yesterday, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has said. Meanwhile, chief negotiators said this week that the confidential talks are on track for completion by year’s end. But as before, no substantive details were shared about the content of the negotiations.

Meetings On IP And Innovation In Africa Open In Tanzania

A ministerial-level meeting organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Japan Patent Office, and the Tanzanian government began today in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The two-day conference, which focuses on how IP can stimulate innovation and development, will be followed by a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting and a US Department of Commerce Commercial Law and Development Program (CLDP)-led workshop on IP use and protection at the same venue.

Digital Rights, Health Concerns As TPP Talks Continue

As closed-door talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement progress this week, concerns have been raised about the proposed intellectual property chapter. Industry, public health and digital liberties groups urged negotiators to consider the possible impact on investment, digital rights, access to affordable medicines, and R&D for life-saving medicines.

WTO: Wide Support For LDC TRIPS Extension, With A Hitch

The World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property rights met this week and addressed a request by least developed countries for an extension of the period to enforce WTO intellectual property rules. LDCs want that the extension be extinguishable only after a country ceases to be considered as 'least developed', which developing countries largely supported. Developed countries, however, were hesitant about the terms of the proposed extension.

India’s First Compulsory Licence Upheld, But Legal Fights Likely To Continue

New Delhi - India’s Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) today upheld the country’s first compulsory licence on a pharmaceutical product. The much-awaited verdict by Justice (Ms) Prabha Sridevan upholds the compulsory licence issued to Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Ltd, an Indian generic drug manufacturer, which sells a much cheaper version of German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG's kidney and liver cancer drug Nexavar in the market.

Should Industry Support LDCs’ Request For Unlimited Time To Implement The TRIPS Agreement? Absolutely

Nick Ashton-Hart writes: Some of you may have noticed that the ICT sector trade association that I represent in Geneva, the Computer and Communication Industry Association (CCIA), has endorsed a bid by the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) to remove any specific deadline for full compliance with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement.