30 June 2016
By Sophia Simon
The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) plays a significant role as the United Nation’s only dedicated, multilateral forum for the discussion on patents. The WIPO SCP convened for its 24th session in Geneva from 27 June 2016 to 30 June 2016.
On Wednesday morning, 29 June 2016, Nigeria, on behalf of the African Group, presented a revised proposal (SCP/24/4) for a WIPO work program on Patents and Health at the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP). The African Group proposal is a welcome breath of fresh air in the patent committee; the proposal aims to make WIPO more responsive to recent developments including: 1) “Challenges to public health …. Continue Reading
At the 32nd session (13 June 2016 – 1 July 2016) of the Human Rights Council, a bloc of countries known as the the Core Group (Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, India, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand) have tabled a resolution on access to medicines “premised on the primacy of human rights over international trade, investment and intellectual property regimes.” The draft resolution complements the work of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines in reviewing and assessing “proposals and recommend solutions for remedying the policy incoherence between the justifiable rights of inven Continue Reading
Saturday, 28 May 2016
WHA69: Resolution WHA69.23 on CEWG follow-up charts course for WHO’s work on R&D
On Friday, 20 May 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) published document A69/40, Follow-up to the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination — Report of the open-ended meeting of Member States. This… Continue Reading
The WIPO Director General Francis Gurry addressed the SCCR 32 Delegates at the opening of the meeting. His statement was substantive:
Chair: And I will first invite Nigeria, on behalf of the African Group, to briefly introduce this Agenda Item. Nigeria has the floor. 
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EIFL.net has the floor.SCCR 32 NGOs comments on parallel importations for Libraries & Archives
SCCR 32 Day 1 Agenda and Group Statements
The various groups statements from Asia and Pacific, Group B, Africa Group, GRULAC etc. were about the stated positions regarding the topics on the table i.e.the protection of broadcasting, cablecasting (and webcasting) organizations, the limitations and exceptions and for some their interest in new topics including the resale rights and the digital environment context study proposal. No surprises here. Continue Reading