Category Regional Policy

Nearly All Global Physical Counterfeiting Is From China & Hong Kong, US Report Shows

A new analysis released this week by the United States Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) shows that some 86 percent of all physical counterfeiting comes from China and Hong Kong. Companies locating manufacturing there may not be surprised to find counterfeit versions of their products on the market, and seizures are a small fraction of the goods getting into the global trade stream, the report says.

European Council Approves First-Ever Analysis Of Drug Prices With Look At IP Rights

The 28 European Union governments today gave final approval to a first-ever plan to analyse medicines competition in Europe, with reference to drug prices, generics and biosimilars, and intellectual property rights. The final version was watered down after what sources said was heavy industry lobbying, compared to a leaked version published in Intellectual Property Watch two weeks ago, but still retains some strong provisions regarding pricing and competition.

Panels Brainstorm Ideas On Innovation And Drug Access

The quest of balance between encouraging medical innovation and the imperative of broad access to medicines has so far been elusive. Two Harvard University programmes jointly organised a workshop this week with the aim of encouraging a conversation between global health actors and see if some "outside the box" thinking is possible.

Special Report: Roundup Of US Copyright Office Review Of US Law

The United States Copyright Office is examining how provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the 1976 Copyright Act are working and whether any changes, legislative or otherwise, are needed. Not surprisingly, there are broad differences of opinion among rights owners, public interest groups, users of copyrighted works and the high-tech community on both questions.

“Mozart 4.0” Program Seeks A Global IP And Innovation Culture

Cultural mindset plays a key role in determining how entrepreneurial a region will be and how effectively its intellectual property will be used, Ludovit Garzik, managing director of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development and Innovation Orbit said at an 11 May Oxfirst webinar. The goal is for different cultures to understand how each innovates, leading to global IP, Garzik said.

IP-Watch Seeking Writers In Brussels, Washington

Intellectual Property Watch is seeking occasional Freelance Writers based in the Washington DC Metro area, San Francisco Bay area, and in Brussels or London. Writers will assist with reporting, writing and publishing stories on international intellectual property and innovation policymaking and law. We are looking for writers who are experienced with delivering multimedia content on a digital news platform and through social media.

Q&A With Erich Spangenberg On Patents And Drug Prices

Prices for drugs have long been a problem for developing countries but now have become out of reach for many in developed countries, sparking policy debates and efforts to address it. One of the top figures in the patent monetization business, industry maverick Erich Spangenberg offers a lively opinion on the underlying problem and how to fix it. To start? Stop granting patent extensions for minor changes.