Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The head of the West Africa region for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the next in the line of departures under the organisation’s reforms. On the way out, he sent around a passionate farewell email calling for a dedication to values, and offering a small window on the wrenching transition taking place inside the international organisation.
The last year has witnessed a series of convictions of copyright pirates by the Federal High Courts in Nigeria. Information provided by Afam Ezekude, the Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, the government agency responsible for copyright matters, shows that the courts have convicted copyright infringers in 18 cases within the last 5 months (October 2011 to February 2012).
If you cannot beat them, join them. For that reason this Chair of IP has decided to announce a NEW sui generis Protection of Traditional Knowledge Bill in the hope that something may yet be done to save us all.
Bien que Gilead ait apporté des améliorations considérables à ses précédentes licences volontaires portant sur des médicaments antirétroviraux essentiels, les licences que l’entreprise a concédées au Medicines Patent Pool, fondation créée par UNITAID, comportent des restrictions regrettables qui fragilisent leur impact sur l’accès à des antirétroviraux génériques de qualité garantie plus abordables dans les pays en développement.
For years, some developing countries have insisted that developed countries – which own the vast majority of intellectual property rights – take a singular focus when it comes to offering technical assistance on IP rights: the protection of “northern” property. In recent years, negotiations in venues like the World Intellectual Property Organization have sought to ensure that such assistance also highlight the creation of local IP rights as well as the availability of flexibilities developing countries have under international rules for IP.
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.
Public health advocates in a dozen countries worldwide have launched a coordinated campaign to bring about generic competition on a key medicine for HIV/AIDS, currently under patent by a pharmaceutical producer.
So, the Department of Trade and Industry (“DTI”) has finally gone ahead and done it. It has caused the South African Government to pass the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill (the so-called “Traditional Knowledge Bill”) despite vociferous objections from all quarters. It has rushed headlong into terrain where no angel would venture through acute trepidation. It has entered Wonderland and assumed the role of the Mad Hatter, writes Professor Owen Dean.
The director of the legendary Library of Alexandria, lauded in Europe in recent weeks, has come under attack from the majority of his library staff and others demanding his departure over questions of unprofessional employee practices, alleged retaliation against workers for speaking freely, and for his affiliation with the outcast Mubarak regime.
The role of online intermediaries in copyright enforcement is on the international negotiating table in recent plurilateral trade agreements. Those negotiating with the US would be advised to examine carefully what is being offered, writes Margot Kaminski.
“Ex Africa semper aliquid novi”, which can be freely translated from Latin to mean “there is always something new coming out of Africa,” said Pliny, the ancient Roman writer and scholar. Presumably then, as is the case now, the concept of “new” included an expression of sarcasm and deprecation as in “absurd, nonsensical and ridiculous.” Well, Pliny has been proved right once again, writes Prof. Owen Dean.
A conference being held in South Africa this week will address the sensitive topic of intellectual property and innovation in the developing country context. On hand will be a top team of developed country experts with a mix of Indian and Chinese specialists.