Category Lobbying

Most-Read IP-Watch Posts Of 2011 Tell Story Of International IP Policymaking

The most-read Intellectual Property Watch stories of 2011 demonstrated the versatility and range of our readers from around the globe, from an intense focus on international and national copyright issues to bilateral and plurilateral free trade agreements, to issues in India and Brazil, patent laws, patents in agriculture, scientific knowledge, and of course, policies emerging in Geneva at the World Intellectual Property Organization, World Trade Organization, World Health Organization and elsewhere at the multilateral level. Most of all, they tell the story of the year gone by, with clear signals of what's to come in 2012.

International Publishers Demand Egyptian Government Stop Attacks

The Geneva-based International Publishers Association today joined organisations demanding that the interim Egyptian government stop attacks on an Egyptian publisher, and uphold the internationally recognised right to freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of assembly and association.

IP Experts Focus On 3-Step Test In Copyright, Discuss Way Forward

Although intellectual property issues did not play a big role in the Eighth World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, some international stakeholders took advantage of the global gathering to meet, discuss and debate the 3-step test in copyright, a key topic in IP today. The discussion included a call for a WTO declaration on the 3-step test.

UN, IMF, WTO, Other Organizations Raise Concern About New Domains

The United Nations, International Monetary Fund and over 20 other international organisations have expressed concerns over the opening up of the internet domain name system for new generic top level domains (gTLDs) like .nyc or .news.

ICANN Warned Again In The US On New Internet Domains

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) should at least pursue a slow start with new top-level domains (TLDs), members of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology asked at a hearing in Washington DC, today. ICANN is on track to opening the application phase for an unlimited number of new TLDs, to allow competition with the existing .com, .org, and .info for brand owners, but also communities around the world.

10 Years Of TRIPS And Public Health: An Anniversary To Celebrate?

It has been 10 years since the World Trade Organization adopted the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health. The declaration highlighting the public health aspects of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreed at the 2001 WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar was considered a milestone in ensuring greater access to medicines for all.

Competing Industry Reports Show Economic Contributions Of Copyright, Fair Use

Trade associations from various copyright-intensive industries have released a report showing they account for nearly $1 trillion in value to the United States economy, and provide some 5 million jobs.

Tech Industry Sees Harm To Internet In US “Rogue Website” Bill

Trade associations representing US technology industry interests this week attacked a new House of Representatives bill aimed at fighting so-called "rogue" websites, calling it "an alarming step backwards in internet policy" that would create "a thicket of internet regulations containing 16 new legal definitions for evolving internet technology."

Revised EPO Patent For Conventional Broccoli Has Public Interest Ramifications

A patent for a conventionally bred form of the common household vegetable broccoli appears to be on its way to acceptance by the European Patent Office following a change to the patent by the company filing it, according to sources. The decision not to revoke the patent, which has been the subject of protests and now calls for action in national courts, could clear the way for hundreds of other vegetable patents to follow, a source said.

WIPO Defends Involvement In IP Enforcement Meeting In The Philippines

The World Intellectual Property Organization, a United Nations agency with nearly 200 member states, is under criticism for its connection with a Western industry-heavy event this week in the Philippines aimed at fighting intellectual property counterfeiting and piracy. The concern from technology industry and consumer advocates is that WIPO is involved in an overly one-sided event and did not sufficiently notify its diverse membership or the public of its activities.