Category Lobbying

Interviews With National Publishing Industry Attendees At WIPO’s Copyright Committee

During this week's World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting, Intellectual Property Watch had the opportunity to meet observers from the international publishing sector who are following the committee's discussions closely. In Geneva at the invitation of the International Publishers Association (IPA), several publishers shared their thoughts about WIPO's work as well as their experience from their own markets. The interviews below represent a range of perspectives, from three different types of markets worldwide.

UN Biodiversity Convention Agrees On Precautionary Approach To Synthetic Biology

SHARM El-SHEIKH, Egypt -- While the world has been taken by surprise after a Chinese researcher declared he had genetically modified twin babies, and critics are rising from all parts, the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a decision on synthetic biology today at the close of its biennial meeting. The decision which calls for a precautionary approach was hailed by civil society groups which were calling for a moratorium preventing gene drive organisms to be released in the wild.

Open Music Initiative: Seeking To Drive The Beat On Global Standards, Rights Attribution

NEW YORK – The Open Music Initiative provides a forum for collaboration across academic, tech and music industry stakeholders around the world, and is working to develop the global standards for music rights attribution that could stand for the next 100 years. Establishing such standards will enable fair compensation to rights holders and creators, and establish a basis for ongoing innovation in the music industry, leading to new digital platforms and services, and new music, according to Open Music members.

Gene Editing: Fears Lead To Call For Moratorium At CBD, Discussions Ongoing

Gene editing techniques have opened the way to a new world of innovations. One of them is the potential eradication of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. What appears as a very attractive way to help with malaria eradication is denounced by civil society groups arguing that the technology is in its infancy. Wiping out entire species could have unforeseen environmental, health, and social consequences, they say. They are calling for a moratorium preventing the release of gene drive organisms in the wild. They also describe the gene drive mosquitoes as a Trojan horse, hiding broader interests of agricultural multinational corporations.

African Civil Society Outcry Over ARIPO’s Closed Decision-Making On Health And IP

As the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Administrative Council meets this week, more than 60 civil society groups are calling for greater inclusion and more transparency on access to medicines and diagnostics. Signatories are asking for a review of the Harare Protocol on patents and industrial designs, and raised concern about over-reliance on advice of the United Nations intellectual property agency for decisions affecting broader public health in the region.

A Look At The Proposed EU IP Exception To Promote Generic, Biosimilar Industry Competitiveness

The European Commission has proposed an exception to the extended period of patent protection that the European Union provides to original drug manufacturers for certain products, in order to boost the competitiveness of EU generic and biosimilar industries in global markets. The exception will allow EU generic and biosimilar companies to manufacture protected drugs for export during this patent extension period. Stakeholders are so far unhappy with the exception. Meanwhile, studies analyse its potential economic impacts and legal implications, and the Commission remains confident that safeguards it is putting in place will keep the lower-priced medicines from making their way back into the EU.

Global Biotech Industry Revisits Geneva, Seeks To Build Relationships To Help Shape Policies

A global association representing biotechnology industries last week made a second annual visit to Geneva's institutions to raise awareness of how the industry works, its needs, and how the association could participate better in policymaking. Dismissing fears of industry unduly influencing public policies, two representatives of the association sat down with Intellectual Property Watch's Catherine Saez to explain the importance of biotechnology in solving the problems of the world, and the need to raise awareness of the perspective of the biotechnology sector.

Experts Assess Coming Changes In US Courts And Patentability

NEW YORK -- A panel of legal and government experts this week discussed trends in courts in the United States on patent cases and changes underway at the US Patent and Trademark Office. One conclusion? There may be a real shift in what is seen as patentable in the US, but it may take an act of Congress. [Note: part 1 of 2. The second part will address this week's changes in the US Congress.]

USPTO Solicitor/Deputy General Counsel Leaves For DC Law Firm

Nathan Kelley has stepped down from his role as solicitor and deputy general counsel at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to join the Perkins Coie law firm in Washington, DC. Kelley also had served as chief administrative patent judge in charge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).