Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization saw record patent filings again in 2008, but the rate of growth is slowing, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said Tuesday. Meanwhile, the WIPO secretariat is privately exploring with member governments ways…
Por Kaitlin Mara La semana pasada, un informe y un proyecto de resolución sobre la falsificación de productos médicos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) generaron acalorados debates, aunque aún no se han logrado avenencias para salvar las…
La semaine dernière, un rapport et un projet de résolution de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) sur les produits médicaux contrefaits ont donné lieu à un débat animé, bien qu’aucun compromis n’ait encore été trouvé pour mettre fin aux…
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch CANNES – Giving licences to digital music providers has been on top of the agenda of the world’s largest music fair, Midem, and its technology forum Midemnet for about a decade now. But…
By Kaitlin Mara Progress made on the World Health Organization strategy on public health and innovation was highlighted to WHO members on Saturday, including the production of a key budgeting document detailing timeframes and estimated costs of implementing the strategy.…
By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – Strong opposition is being voiced by members of the European Parliament over plans to extend the copyright protection applying to sound recordings from 50 to 95 years. Both left and right-leaning…
By Kaitlin Mara A World Health Organization report and draft resolution on counterfeit medical products drew energetic debate last week, though no compromise has yet been found to bridge disagreements over the consultation process behind the counterfeit report and over…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch and William New
Changes in several key international agencies and governments will bring a cadre of new faces to positions that address intellectual property policy, and some potential names for those spots have been circulating in recent weeks.
The naming of the new chief of the World Trade Organization IP Division is "imminent," according to sources close to the process. And as US President Barack Obama began his first weeks in office in late January, many IP-related positions also remain unfilled.
By Kaitlin Mara and William New China has been found in violation of two of its responsibilities under international rules on trade and intellectual property, and in partial violation of one more, said a World Trade Organization panel report on…
By William New
Alicia Greenidge represents a change for the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, but as she grows into her role as the head of the industry's international trade association, it is unclear whether there will be substantive changes on policy relating to intellectual property and public health. Key policy areas include counterfeit medicines and funding for research and development into diseases afflicting poor populations in ways that echo past industry approaches, but Greenidge brings a new focus on networking and negotiation.
By Kaitlin Mara Estimated funding needs for the implementation of the World Health Organization strategy on global public health and intellectual property have been revealed in a new document. The document lays out element by element the expected cost of…
By Kaitlin Mara A small, diverse group of member states meeting informally over the weekend were able to resolve questions of which institutions should be actors in a broader plan of action for the implementation of the World Health Organization…