Access to Knowledge
Balanced agenda reached at the conclusion of WIPO patent committee
Submitted by thiru on 30. March 2009 - 11:09The Summary by the Chair of the WIPO Standing Committee Committee on the Law of Patents’ (SCP) Thirteenth Session which took place in Geneva from March 23, 2009 to March 27, 2009 has been posted on the WIPO website.
Views of Civil Society on USTR Review of Trade-Related Transparency Policies
Submitted by Malini Aisola on 26. March 2009 - 14:07As mentioned in an earlier KEI blog, on Thursday, March 19, a group of public interest groups met with the Obama administration’s trade officials. As a result of this meeting, USTR has promised to review its policies on transparency and invited groups to submit concrete proposals for evaluation. Further, these proposals are to be discussed as part of the review process in a follow up meeting next month.
Proposed areas of discussion include:
KEI oral intervention on patents and standards at WIPO SCP
Submitted by thiru on 25. March 2009 - 11:22Thank you Mr Chair.
We take note of document 13/2’s assertion that “inherent tensions exist between patents and standards” particularly when the “implementation of a standard calls for the use of technology covered by one or more patents”.
For our detailed written comments on the issue of patents and standards we request the SCP to please consult pages 36 through 39 of Annex III of document SCP/12/3 Rev.2.
On the topic of patents and standards, we propose the following:
Statement by the United States on patents and standards at WIPO patent committee
Submitted by thiru on 25. March 2009 - 10:54Patents and Standards
The United States thanks the International Bureau for preparing the background paper on Standards and Patents, and we support the statement made by Germany on behalf of Group B.
Mr. Chairman, the United States supports and strongly encourages the use of open standards, as traditionally defined, that is, those developed through an open, collaborative process, whether or not intellectual property is involved.
WIPO DG Francis Gurry highlights disability as a theme for Conference on Intellectual Property and Global Challenges
Submitted by thiru on 24. March 2009 - 8:39As mentioned in James Love’s blog today entitled Notes from Day One of WIPO SCP 13, the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) is examining four key issues at its Thirteenth Session this week including Standards and Patents, Exclusions from Patentable Subject Matter and Exceptions and Limitations to the Rights, The Client-Attorney Privilege and Dissemination of Patent Information.
Who should benefit from a WIPO Treaty for Reading Disabled Persons?
Submitted by Manon Ress on 20. March 2009 - 11:45This note discusses the issue of who should benefit from a WIPO treaty for reading disabled persons. Should it only be people who are blind and visually impaired, as some propose, or should it be more inclusive with regard to other disabilities?
WIPO paper on limitations and exceptions to the exclusive rights of patents
Submitted by thiru on 17. March 2009 - 6:02- Canada-Patent Protection of Pharmaceutical Product case (DS114)
- Chicago Convention
- climate change
- Compulsory Licensing
- disability
- environment
- exceptions
- food security
- health
- limitations
- Lobbying and advocacy
- Patents
- public policy
- reading disabilities
- research exception
- scp
- Standing Committee on the Law of Patents
- wipo
- Access to Knowledge
The International Bureau has released a 47-paged paper in preparation for the 13th Session of the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (23 March-27 March, 2009) entitled Exclusions from patentable subject matter and exceptions and limitations to the rights (SCP/13/3).
In its introduction to the treatment of patent exceptions and public policy, the paper asserts:
European Parliament debate on transparency of ACTA documents
Submitted by James Love on 14. March 2009 - 12:06From the European Parliament is a call for more transparency of ACTA documents. This is a report from Sina Amoor Pour of Sweden, posted to the A2K listserve:
White House says ACTA text a State Secret. EU parliament says time for more transparency
Submitted by James Love on 12. March 2009 - 19:32On January 31, 2009, KEI submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to USTR for copies of seven documents containing much of the negotiating text of the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Today the White House office the United States Trade Representative denied the request, claiming the documents are “information that is properly classified in the interest of national security pursuant to Executive Order 12958.”
Norm setting on copyright limitations and exceptions at WIPO: What is ready?
Submitted by James Love on 28. January 2009 - 9:05Over the past several weeks there have been a several cases where some well motivated and knowledgeable persons about copyright policy have expressed criticism of an effort by WIPO to negotiate a treaty for persons who are blind or have other reading disabilities, on the grounds that this is not ambitious enough, and a larger all inclusive treaty on limitations and exceptions should be the target.
