Category United Nations – other

New International Pharma Industry Leader Brings Prospect Of Change

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.

US IP Attachés Take Hard-Line Position On Overseas IP Enforcement

By Drew Clark for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – Nations ranging from Brazil to Brunei to Russia are failing to properly protect the intellectual property assets of US companies and others, and international organisations are not doing enough to…

Draft Programme Of WIPO Funder Meeting For Development

The World Intellectual Property Organization secretariat has circulated a draft programme for a funders' meeting for IP and development in 2009 that includes proposed panels on IP projects in developing countries; science and innovation for development; WIPO-World Trade Organization cooperation; digital content in developing countries; work with indigenous communities; and reading access for the blind and visually impaired. The secretariat is expected to begin consultations on the proposed programme this week. Also released at the recent WIPO General Assembly was the statement by the WIPO Audit Committee chair, and the report by the Swiss Federal Audit Office of WIPO's 2006-2007 budget.

New WIPO Director’s Revised Budget On Track To Passage After Debate

[Editor’s Note: Final formal committee-level approval of the Program and Budget Committee recommendations took place on Friday morning.] By William New The powerful World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee on Thursday tacitly approved a new one-year budget funding…

Technology, IP Vital To Addressing Climate Change, UN Meeting Hears

By Kaitlin Mara Finding a balance between needed incentives for innovation and equally needed affordable access to new technology is necessary to combat ecological challenges, yet striking it may prove difficult as countries at the United Nations’ talks on climate…

Budget Debates Arise Again At WIPO; Development Fears Run High

By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization could be considered a financial stalwart of the United Nations system, self-funding and usually running large positive balances. But recent years have seen the rise in influence of developing countries at WIPO,…

UN Internet Governance Forum 2008: Friends And Foes, But More Friends

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch HYDERABAD, INDIA – The Internet Governance Forum of the United Nations is halfway through its first term and starting to think about its future after 2010. Gathering in Hyderabad, India this week, it…

Ministers, Stakeholders Meet In Mali To Strategise On Health Research Systems

By Kaitlin Mara Ministers of health, science and technology, and social development met this week with scientific researchers and representatives from foundations, the private sector and civil society to discuss the future of research for health on diseases disproportionately affecting…