Original news and analysis on international IP policy
COPENHAGEN - Despite last-minute pep talk by US President Barack Obama, it proved extremely difficult to secure an international climate deal at the high-level meeting in Copenhagen on 18 December. Intellectual property issues were again discussed in a smaller group during one of the last days, but are not mentioned in the final text, which is entitled the “Copenhagen Accord.”
Contracts covering new technologies and intangible assets protected by intellectual property rights, notably through patents, industrial designs or copyright, need to be carefully crafted to establish clear ownership of IP rights, said experts at a recent seminar in Geneva. This is the case for contracts related to research carried out in universities or when companies enter a licensing agreement.
Draft chair's conclusions out today show the World Intellectual Property Organization is poised to make paradigm-shifting breakthroughs to expand access to reading materials for the visually impaired. WIPO members this week also are considering the possibility of high-level negotiations on a new treaty for the protection of audiovisual performances.
COPENHAGEN - A third version of the draft text on development and transfer of technology was issued at the high-level climate meeting in Copenhagen on 15 December and includes language on intellectual property rights. It may soon be presented to the ministers as the meeting goes into its “high-level session” during the last crucial days, or at least the IP language may be referred to the ministers to discuss, sources said.
La récente décision d’un juge argentin d’abandonner les poursuites engagées contre un professeur de philosophie accusé de violation de droit d’auteur est considérée par les défenseurs de la cause de l’accès aux œuvres comme un nouveau moyen d’attirer l’attention sur les problèmes liés au droit d’auteur en Amérique Latine.
La decisión reciente de un juez argentino de desestimar los cargos presentados contra un profesor de filosofía por supuesta violación de los derechos de autor se considera un paso importante para dirigir la atención hacia los asuntos relativos al derecho de autor en América Latina, según dejaron trascender algunos defensores.
This week's consideration of an implementation plan for a medicines patent pool by the board of oversight body UNITAID stirred a stream of stakeholder letters from around the world.
COPENHAGEN - A draft text on development and transfer of technology was subject to intense - and indeed heated - discussions during the first week of the high-level climate meeting in Copenhagen. But no intellectual property was mentioned in the latest draft text that was issued on 14 December.
An Argentinean judge’s recent decision to drop charges against a philosophy professor for alleged copyright infringement is being seen as a stepping stone to drawing attention to copyright issues in Latin America, according to advocates.
Professor Horacio Potel created open source websites to post foreign philosophers’ work in Spanish. The websites were named “Nietzsche in Spanish,” “Heidegger in Spanish,” and “Derrida in Spanish.”
The Obama administration and industry groups like the Motion Picture Association of America continue to keep their policy focus squarely on protection and enforcement of IP assets, but in testimony to the US Congress last week made no mention of multilateral venues for advancing these interests through new policy instruments.
The World Health Organization secretariat has released its report to the executive board meeting on pandemic influenza preparedness. A framework for handling outbreaks of potentially pandemic influenza was approved in May this year, but outstanding – and critical - elements of the framework remained unfinished.
Implementation of a United Nations-related patent pool initiative that independent reviewers say could save millions of lives (and dollars) is set to be approved next week by the initiative’s board, though some observers fear resistance from strong patent beneficiaries, such as the foundation run by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. A confidential report on the initiative prepared for board approval is expected to show multiple benefits to implementation of the pool, but also some concerns, according to informed sources.