Category Enforcement

IP Enforcement Permeates ICANN, US Internet Policy

The push for ever more far-reaching intellectual property enforcement in the domain name system was heavily criticised at a conference of the Non-Commercial Users' Constituency (NCUC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Friday. The NCUC conference on "Internet Governance and the Global Public Interest" took place one day before the first constituency meetings of the 40th ICANN meeting in San Francisco (13-18 March).

Monika Ermert
March 13, 2011
1 Comment

Caribbean IP: Establishing An Arbitral Tribunal For The Region

The use of arbitration across the Caribbean has been largely within the context of trade union disputes and is still something of a novelty in resolving commercial and private disputes in the region, Abiola Inniss writes.

US Panel Puts Google, Facebook, Communications Platforms On Human Rights Frontline

Recent events in the Arab region have brought the issue of access to the internet and social platforms sharply into the spotlight as governments have tried to block or limit internet access and cut millions of people from communication. A United States-hosted panel discussion in Geneva yesterday brought together representatives of Google, Facebook, and Access, a civil society group defending digital freedom.

Catherine Saez
March 5, 2011

In Brazil And The IP World, It’s Tropicalization Time!

Benny Spiewak writes: There used to be a time when Brazil meant almost exclusively Carnival, Samba and Soccer. Well, those days are over and there is an undeniable message that will echo through the knowledge-based, creative, innovative world: Wake-Up, World, It’s Tropicalization Time!

WHO Working Group Gives Guidelines To Fight Bad Medicines; IMPACT In Exile

After three days of intense negotiations on the role of the World Health Organization in the fight against low standard or falsified medicines, delegates provided recommendations for the UN agency. A subject of dissent was the relationship between the WHO and its taskforce against counterfeit medicines, with some countries calling for a suspension of the taskforce’s work, though in the end no consensus was found.

WHO Members To Work To Disentangle Problem Of Fake Medicines, IP Issues

A designated working group will meet for the first time this week to discuss the World Health Organization’s role in the safety, quality and efficacy of medical products, but some countries are concerned about what they consider to be the unwelcome intrusion of intellectual property rights issues into the debate.

Catherine Saez
February 26, 2011

Building A Consensus To Address The Health Threat Posed By Fake Medicines

On the eve of a meeting of the WHO working group on substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products, research-based pharmaceutical industry group IFPMA sets out thoughts on building global consensus to address fake medicines.

WIPO Could Enter Growing Fray Over Internet Domain Takedowns

An influential private sector trademark defender is proposing to the World Intellectual Property Organization to undertake creation of an international “notice and takedown” system for alleged online trademark infringers.

And he told Intellectual Property Watch that this will be followed in a few months by a separate proposal for a “notice-and-trackdown” article requiring internet service providers to divulge information about online counterfeiters so they can be gone after.

William New
February 17, 2011
2 Comments

Pharma Backs Calls For Extension Of TRIPS Deadline For Least-Developed Countries

Developed country pharmaceutical companies today announced their support for an extension of the deadline for poor countries to comply with a global trade agreement on intellectual property rights that would significantly raise their obligations to protect IP. The extension idea has been proposed by the United Kingdom government in a new trade strategy document.

William New
February 10, 2011
1 Comment

New White House IP Advisory Committees Elevate IP Enforcement To Highest Level

US President Barack Obama this week used an executive order to create two government advisory committees on intellectual property rights enforcement. The committees put IP rights at the highest interagency level possible and have the stated aim of promoting innovation through the protection of such rights.

William New
February 10, 2011
4 Comments

New Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Protocol Relies On National Rules, Experts Say

PARIS - The recently agreed international instrument to facilitate access to genetic resources and the equitable sharing of benefits accrued from those resources opened for signature last week, and the text is already getting mixed reviews from stakeholders.

Catherine Saez
February 7, 2011
1 Comment

Panel: Seek Innovative Solutions Vs. Counterfeiting; Oxfam Warns Against False Solution

PARIS - The rise of counterfeiting and global economic difficulties combined to sap resources devoted to intellectual property enforcement, said panellists at an event highlighting the fight against counterfeiting and piracy yesterday, and discussed innovative solutions. Meanwhile a civil society group said enforcement of IP rights is a false solution to substandard medicines.

Catherine Saez
February 4, 2011