KEI comments for House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

On Wednesday, December 14, 2011 the Subcommittee on Trade of the Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Oral testimony was accepted only from invited witnesses. These witnesses included: Ambassador Demetrios Marantis (Deputy U.S. Trade Representative), Devry S. Boughner (Director, Intenrational Business Relations on behalf of Cargill Inc. and U.S. Business Coalition for TPP), Angela Marshall Hofmann (Vice President for Global Integrated Sourcing on Trade, Wal-Mart Stores), and Michael Wessel (President of The Wessel Group).

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16 December 2011: KEI side event @ 8th WTO Ministerial Conference: The TRIPS Agreement and Copyright

Friday, 16 December 2011
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) side event @ 8th WTO Ministerial Conference
Geneva
Room B, Centre William Rappard, World Trade Organization
Rue de Lausanne 154
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

The TRIPS Agreement and Copyright

Knowledge Ecology International
Introduction

TRIPS, the copyright 3-step test, and exceptions to rights

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WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents: Obama Administration’s proposal on patents and health

On Wednesday, 7 December 2011, the United States of America tabled a proposal on patents and health which was distributed at 6 PM by the WIPO Secretariat after much of the substantive dicussions

Standing Committee on the Law of Patents

Seventeenth Session
Geneva, December 5 to 9, 2011

PATENTS AND HEALTH: PROPOSAL BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Document prepared by the Secretariat

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WIPO patent committee: Statement of Group B (industrialized countries) at WIPO on discussions of patents and health

The United States, on behalf of Group B (which includes Western European countries, Norway, the United States, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, Israel and the Holy See) presented the following statement opposing the adoption of the African Group/Development Agenda Group on patents and health (in its current forum). In its individual intervention, the Holy See supported the African Group/Development Agenda Group proposal.

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SCCR23: Statement by KEI on the protection of broadcasting organizations

With respect to broadcasting, KEI reiterates its opposition to work at WIPO on a new treaty for broadcasting organizations.

When governments grant intellectual property rights to broadcasting organizations, they undermine the rights of copyright holders, and reduce the incomes of creative communities.

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Senator Sanders calls for better trade policy on access to medicines and public release of TPPA text

On December 1, 2011, Senator Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Kirk, objecting to USTR’s position with regard to access to medicines in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and the apparent retreat from the May 10th Agreement. Senator Sanders also objects to the secrecy of the negotiations and calls for the public release of the TPPA negotiating texts. Continue Reading

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#SCCR23: Concluding remarks of Brazil

Thank you Mr. Chairman,

First, my delegation would like to congratulate you on the very good job performed as the Chairman of this Session of the SCCR. We also thank Assistant Director General, Mr. Trevor Clarke, and the Secretariat for all the hard work, and also the interpreters.

My delegation would like to extend its congratulations to all delegations, for their hard and constructive work along these two weeks of Session, and for the flexibility in order to reach acceptable solutions.

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