HRC28: Statement of the European Union- Cultural Rights (Response to SR Report on Copyright and Right to Science and Culture)

On Wednesday, 11 March 2015, Oliver Hall-Allen, First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office in Geneva delivered the following statement in response to the presentation of the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights (Farida Shaheed) on her Report on Copyright policy and the right to science and culture (A/HRC/28/57).

EUOliverEEAS.jpg
Oliver Hall-Allen (blue tie, white shirt), First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office in Geneva

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

HRC28: Statement by Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur, on Copyright policy and the right to science and culture

On Wednesday, 11 March 2015, Farida Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights presented her seminal report on Copyright policy and the right to science and culture (A/HRC/28/57) at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Highlights from the report’s recommendations include the following:

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

WTO at 20: Symposium on the TRIPS Agreement for TRIPS Council Members and Observers (26 February 2015)

As part of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) technical assistance and capacity building program, on Thursday, 26 February 2015, the WTO Secretariat convened a Symposium on the TRIPS Agreement for TRIPS Council Members and Observers which brought together negotiators from the 1986–94 Uruguay Round to discuss how the Round introduced intellectual property norms into the architecture of the multilateral trading system. In addition, other experts were brought in to discuss what has happened since the introduction of the TRIPS Agreement, and what augurs for the future.

UruguayRound.jpg

The Uruguay Round- The Glory Years, Source: World Trade Organization

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

KEI Special 301 supplemental comments: Compulsory Licensing not restricted to “Emergencies” or “Measure of Last Resort”

At the February 24, 2015 USTR hearing on Special 301, KEI asked to provide supplemental comments on R&D for the record, and KEI was separately asked by USTR to provide comments on online pharmacies, and by DHHS to comment on the relationship between emergencies and compulsory licensing. (The KEI page on Special 301 is here: /ustr/special301).

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): LDC request for extension of the transitional period for pharmaceutical products

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is convening the TRIPS Council from Tuesday, 24 February 2015 to Wednesday, 25 February 2015. As mentioned in a previous piece, Norway and the United States “have submitted a written request for the inclusion of the topic, “Intellectual Property and Innovation: Women And Innovation” (Source: WTO TRIPS Council-February 2015- Norway and the United States bring gender mainstreaming to the fore-Women and Innovation, /node/2167).

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Save the Date- 19 February 2015- Fire in the Blood- Screening co-sponsored by KEI/MSF-Access Campaign

The Human Rights Council’s 2015 Social Forum will take place from 18 February 2015 to 20 February 2015 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

As requested by the Council in the above-mentioned resolution, the 2015 Social Forum will focus on “access to medicines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including best practices in this regard “. (Source: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/SForum/Pages/SForum2015.aspx).

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

16-18 February 2015 WIPO Expert Forum on International Technology Transfer to examine Alternatives to the Patent System

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will host an Expert Forum on International Technology Transfer on 16 February 2015 to 18 February 2015 at its New Conference Hall. The event is open to the public, and the link for online registration can be found here: http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/registration/form.jsp?meeting_id=35562.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized