Original news and analysis on international IP policy
As they head into the final scheduled meeting of the year on a proposed development-oriented reform of the World Intellectual Property Organization, member governments are looking for agreement on how to proceed – this week and in the future. Officials…
An intergovernmental working group on intellectual property rights mandated by the May World Health Assembly is expected to be set up “in the next few days,” according to World Health Organization sources. The WHA resolution adopted in May called for…
Developing countries should use international law on plant breeding but not necessarily sign up to binding conventions as they could have a negative impact, argues a new World Bank-commissioned report presented at a joint event on 20 June at the…
The European Union got little support for its proposal to add further enforcement measures into international trade law on intellectual property at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting on 15 June, according to participants. This was the last day of…
Two new proposals on the relationship of international agreements on the protection of biodiversity were discussed at the World Trade Organization (WTO) yesterday, one of which supports a developing country view. But member states still disagree as to whether there…
Por Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Brasil cuenta probablemente con la fuente de biodiversidad más rica del mundo, y lucha por obtener apoyo a nivel internacional para proteger estos recursos naturales de lo que considera una explotación injusta a través del…
The world’s largest developing countries are seeking an amendment to international trade rules to provide more protection for genetic resources and traditional knowledge used in patent applications, and have presented the amendment proposal to other governments with mixed results. Brazil,…
A group of six developing countries led by India have submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) suggesting changes to international trade law to include specific requirements for disclosure of where biological material has been obtained from in…
Brazil has arguably the earth’s richest source of biological diversity, and it is fighting to get help at the international level to protect those natural resources from what it says is unfair exploitation through patents by companies and others in…
The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to speed up the process of electing a new director general and will meet in November to nominate a candidate who will be proposed to a special session of…
The World Health Assembly today agreed to establish an intergovernmental group to develop a global plan on research and development for diseases predominantly affecting developing countries. The agreement reflects a bridging of significant gaps between parties on the issue a…
The World Health Assembly today adopted a resolution that urges member states to improve coordination at the national level between international trade and public health, requesting the World Health Organization (WHO) to help its member states to do this. The…