Obama administration blocking consensus at Human Rights Council on access to medicines resolution
In their introduction to Realizing the Right to Health, Andrew Clapham and Mary Robinson provide the following anecdote.
The run up to the 2008 election in the United States focused at one point on the nature of health care in America. During the second presidential debate, the candidates were asked the following question: “Is health care in America a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?” Senator Obama (as he then was) replied as follows:WTO TRIPS Council: Intervention of India on Intellectual Property, Climate Change and Development (June 2013)
On 27 February 2013, Ecuador submitted a paper (IP/C/W/585) to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Council) titled “Contribution of Intellectual Property to Facilitating the Transfer of Environmentally Rational Technology“. This subject was placed under agenda item 11 at the June TRIPS Council’s meeting under the heading of “Intellectual Property, Climate Change and Development”.
Proposed US language on a decision point on CEWG
On Friday, 24 May 2013, in the United States’ intervention to the 66th World Health Assembly’s deliberations on the Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing, the US dropped a bombshell by proposing a decision point with the following language. We expect the Assembly to reconvene at 14:30 Geneva time and discuss the US proposal.
Joint Letter to the 66th World Health Assembly: Follow-up of the report of the CEWG
Joint Letter to the 66th World Health Assembly: Follow-up of the report of the CEWG
20 May 2013
Distinguished Delegate,
We urge the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Member States to exercise leadership, ambition and innovative thinking in developing new paradigms to take forward the work of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG) in reconciling the objectives of stimulating medical innovation and ensuring access for all.
WTO: Spotlight on the United States at the Trade Policy Review (December 2012)
On 18 December 2012 and 20 December 2012, the World Trade Organization (WTO) undertook a trade policy review of the United States of America. All members of the WTO are subject to review under the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The questions raised by WTO Members during the US TPR touched upon on compulsory licensing (including cases of judicial compulsory licensing following eBay v. MercExchange), copyright (Golan v. Holder), the Special 301 report and the Medicines Patent Pool. On 30 April 2013, the WTO released the records of the meeting including WT/TPR/M/275. Continue Reading
Treaty for the Blind: US démarche opposes references to “fair practices, dealings or uses to meet their needs”
As mentioned in our piece, State of Play: Treaty for the Blind negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization, the February 2013 special session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) reached agreement on a cluster of provisions on the Treaty’s treatment of the copyright three-step test that resulted in the ARTICLE(S) section contained in SCCR/25/2/Rev. Continue Reading
WIPO broadcast treaty discussions: US advocates for a simplified signal-based approach
On 11 April 2013, the United States made the following intervention on day 2 of the WIPO inter-sessional meeting on the protection of broadcasting organizations. The US noted the concerns expressed by content holders, technology companies, consumer and civil society groups about “creating extra layers of protection requiring additional clearance of rights”.
WIPO broadcast treaty: zombie agenda coming back to life?
In 2007 the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) buried the broadcast treaty in cold storage when it decided (WO/GA/34/16) that the convening of a Diplomatic Conference for the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations could only take place “after agreement on objectives, specific scope and object of protection has been achieved.” Commenting on the broadcast treaty and the break down in negotiations, KEI noted in 2007:
State of Play: Treaty for the Blind negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization
In the final phase of negotiations leading towards the Marrakesh Diplomatic Conference to conclude a Treaty for the Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons (17 June 2013 to 28 June 2013), it is important to take stock of where things stand in respect of the current negotiations.
WIPO treaty for the blind and Article F: Obligations concerning technological protection measures
In the final stretch towards the Marrakesh Diplomatic Conference to conclude a Treaty for the Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons (17 June 2013 to 28 June 2013), it is perhaps important to take note of one important area of divergence, namely, the language contained in Article F of the Draft Text of an International Instrument/Treaty on Limitations and Exceptions for Visually Impaired Persons/Persons with Print Disabilities (SCCR/25/2 REV) w Continue Reading