Year: 2012

Earlier this month, the European Parliament and the European Commission released a new compromise text on orphan works.

The Compromise Text is available here:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/12/st10/st10953.en12.pdf

KEI sees the text as a step backwards for access to knowledge. The proposed directive makes far too many compromises, is too limited in terms of the beneficiaries and uses of works, and creates complicated, burdensome and costly procedures and record keeping requirements.

Background on earlier EU consultations

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The governments of Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Peru, Vietnam and the United States are negotiating a multilateral free trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). The negotiations are being conducted with considerable secrecy, even though they address many issues of great interest to the general public. The Agreement will cover many topics, including intellectual property rights, the pricing of pharmaceutical drugs, and the rights of investors to sue states over policies and actions that impact their investments. Continue Reading →

On 15 June 2012, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization signed an agreement and released a joint communiqué “detailing how an AUD$2 million Australian contribution would assist least-developed and developing countries improve their intellectual property systems”.

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Clearly WIPO could teach a few things to many agencies –other UN bodies but also for example the office of the US Trade Representatives– regarding transparency and accessibility for all stakeholders.

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On Friday, June 15, 2012, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) filed as amici curiae in the case Association for Molecular Pathology, et. al. v. United States Patent and Trademark Office, et. al which is currently being heard before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The full brief is available for download here.

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This statement was delivered by Ecuador on 5 June 2012 at the WTO TRIPS Council on copyright limitations and exceptions.

CONSEJO DE LOS ADPIC
5-6 DE JUNIO DE 2012
PUNTO L. DE LA AGENDA
INTERVENCIÓN DEL ECUADOR

Señor Presidente,

El Ecuador da la bienvenida a la iniciativa organizada por Brasil y Estados Unidos con respecto al punto L. sobre las limitaciones y excepciones a los derechos de autor en el marco de las negociaciones en curso en la OMPI.

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I recently sent the following letter to Andrew Bast, the editor of Foreign Affairs. The letter responds to a May 24, 2012 article by Devi Sridhar, Lawrence O. Continue Reading →