WIPO’s patent menu: Report on the International Patent System
On April 15, 2008, WIPO released its long awaited Report on the International Patent System. Continue Reading
Open licensing vs Monopoly Controlled Supply
One of the most important battles being waged both inside and outside of the IGWG concerns the nature of competition for the supply of inexpensive medicines and vaccines.
The large pharma companies with well-known brands and big marketing and distribution systems want to marginalize developing country generic suppliers, as actual or potential competitors. This plays out in various ways. For example:
Working Document Proposed by Barbados and Bolivia
https://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/b_b_igwg/working_document_barbados_bolivia.pdf April 2008 According to resolution WHA60.30 on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property, the Director-General of the WHO is asked: (4) to encourage the development of proposals for health-needs driven research and development for discussion at the Intergovernmental Working… Continue Reading
Of Limitations, Exceptions and Verse (WIPO copyright committee)
Following the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) which for much of its existence has endeavored to unsuccessfully hammer out a Treaty for the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations has provided a window into the human condition replete with incidents of humor, frustration and hope. Continue Reading
83 countries determine the fate of WIPO (ie-who will be the new DG)?
The WIPO Coordination Committee will meet in extraordinary session on May 13-14, 2008, to “nominate a person for appointment by the General Assembly as WIPO Director General. The nominations received from WIPO Member States in response to the Circular C.N. 2833 are now available.”
…and the kitchen sink? (WIPO)
Since nobody really wants to work on the casters treaty (no matter what they say) today we’re talking about what should be on the table, the work program for the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights at WIPO.
To push back the excellent proposal on limitations and exceptions made by Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Nicaragua yesterday the EU is proposing to add:
Draft Conclusions of the WIPO copyright committee (March 2008)
This text was handed at around 11 AM on Wednesday morning. Apologies for any typos. This was typed by 3 different people from the hard copy distributed by the International Bureau.
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STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Sixteenth Session, March 10 to 12, 2008-03-12
DRAFT CONCLUSIONS
Protection of audiovisual performances
SCCR Day 2: Re Limitations and Exceptions (Finally)
After a rather disappointing day 1 of the standing committee on copyright and related rights at WIPO, Day 2 is turning out to be a good constructive day.
Questions linger on WIPO copyright committee’s leadership race
It is 10:25 AM here in Geneva and the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) has yet to begin. The buzz in the hallways indicates that Finland, Italy, Senegal and Canada are vying for leadership of this Committee which will have important ramifications for WIPO’s work on limitations and exceptions, the public domain, competition and access to knowledge. From our perspective, we hope that the this Committee will augur in the fresh winds of change that will change the direction of WIPO’s work on copyright and related rights towards a positive agenda.
Colombian Submission to the WHO IGWG negotiation favors drug company positions on IP
By resolution WHA 59.24, the WHO’s Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property (IGWG) has the goal of producing a Global Strategy and Plan of Action that will implement the CIPIH report recommendations and “secure an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs-driven, essential health research and development relevant to diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries, proposing cle Continue Reading