This cable, written on 23 January 2007, summarizes the proceedings of a video conference between US government officials and Hong Kong government officials that took place on 12 January 2007 with respect to ACTA and subsequent conversations between the Hong Kong government and the US consulate in Hong Kong. Continue Reading
On 2 November 2005, Ambassador Kevin Moley wrote the following entitled, “NOT A GOOD IDEA – WIPO PROPOSAL ON AVIAN INFLUENZA AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS” after meeting with Rita Hayes, Deputy Director General WIPO, to discuss a proposed WIPO-hosted meeting of a high-level advisory group for intellectual property and avian flu.
The WIPO General Assembly meets from Monday, 26 September 2011 to Wednesday, 5 October 2011 and will take place at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG), 17 rue de Varembé, 1211, Geneva.
The tentative schedule for 49th session of the WIPO General Assembly can be found here: http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/govbody/en/a_49/a_49_1_prov_2.pdf.
After ten years of deliberations, the 19th session (18-22 July 2011) of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC/GRTKF) submitted a Decision for approval to the WIPO General Assembly (26 September-5 October 2011) that could pave the way for the General Assembly in 2012 to convene a Diplomatic Conference on an international legal instrument(s) for the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs).
The 19th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore is meeting this week in Geneva (18-22 July 2011) to make a a decision on a possible international legal instrument (or instruments) to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. At the discussions of future work on 19 July 2011, the United States (Albert Tramposch, USPTO) asked the WIPO Legal Counsel (Edward Kwakwa) the following question.
From 27 June to 30 June 2011, representatives from the like minded group of countries including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Namibia, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, and Zimbabwe met in Bali, Indonesia to discuss the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. This group submitted a joint recommendation to the WIPO secretariat (WIPO/GRTKF/IC/19/8) requesting the following:
2nd meeting of WHO Consultative Working Group on R&D Financing (CEWG): Summary of proceeedings by Chair (John Arne Røttingen)
On 8 July 2011, the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing and Coordination (CEWG) held an open session to brief the public on their preliminary assessments and recommendations.
To access the slide presentation presented by the Chair (John Arne Røttingen, Norway) and Vice-Chair (Claudia Inês Chamas, Brazil), please click on the following link: http://www.who.int/phi/news/Open_Session_July_v3.pdf
BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting-Beijing Declaration
2 KEI/South Centre panel on Doha+10: The State of Implementation, 14 November 2011
Doha +10
On 14 November 2001, at its Ministerial in Doha, Qatar, the World Trade Organization (WTO) adopted the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and public health. Exactly 10 years to the date, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and the South Centre have are co-hosting a side event at WIPO to discuss the following questions:
How have WTO members implemented paragraphs 4, 6 and 7 of the Doha Declaration? What changes are needed to achieve access to medicine for all?
Continue ReadingWIPO patent committee solicits comments on proposals on quality of patents (including opposition systems) and patents and health
On 28 June 2011, Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), sent out Circular note 7998 requesting Member States and Observers to the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) to submit comments on the the proposal by Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Quality of Patents, including Opposition Systems and the proposal by South Africa on behalf of the African Group and the Development Group on Continue Reading