WTO TRIPS Council: Intervention of India on Article 66.2
On Thursday, 10 October 2013, India delivered this intervention on Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement mandates developed country members of the WTO to “provide incentives to enterprises and institutions in their territories for the purpose of promoting and encouraging technology transfer to least-developed country Members in order to enable them to create a sound and viable technological base.”
Intervention on Art 66.2US signs Marrakesh treaty for the blind
USPTO has confirmed that on October 2, 2013, the United States has signed the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. The U.S. signing, which was not accompanied by a press release, took place on the last day of the WIPO General Assembly, and one day after the United States government began to shut down non-essential operations as a consequence of disputes over the Affordable Care Act.
Congress asked to hold hearings on NIH failure to address abuses of government financed medical inventions
We sent this letter to the Hill today.
October 8, 2013
Dear Senators Reid and McConnell, Representatives Boehner and Pelosi,
We are writing to ask that Congress hold a hearing on the failure of the NIH to exercise its authority to protect the public from abuses in federally funded inventions.
Since the passage of the BayhDole Act in 1980, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has never granted a petition to “march in” to permit third parties to use patents invented on federally funded research in response to abuses of the patent rights.
EPO and OHIM publish misleading report on intellectual property rights intensive industries in EU economy
In 2012 the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a study titled “Intellectual Property and the U.S. Economy: Industries in Focus” which estimated the number of jobs if various “IP intensive” industries. The study was immediately panned by critics for its broad definitions — grocery stores were the top “ip intensive industry” in the United States, but it became a source of go-to-statistics for every PhRMA and publisher lobby group pushing new privileges and subsidies. (Commentary here: /node/1432)
Evolving Copyright and the Relationship With the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)
Table of Contents:
Introduction
I. Parallel Importation
II. Copyright Terms
III. Technological Protection Measures
IV. Fair Use
V. Marrakesh Treaty
VI. Libraries, Archives and Museums
VII. Statutory Damages
VIII. Orphan Works
ConclusionIntroduction
Continue ReadingBroadcasting & Webcasting is Back on Track at WIPO
The webcast of WIPO General Assemblies taking place this week (September 23 to October 2, 2013) in Geneva, Switzerland is now available on demand. The Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) work program starts at minute 33 of the morning session of Thursday September 26 (first video of the day). It is all about broadcasting & webcasting and whether or not the casting treaty is ready or not ready for prime time, it seems to be moving quite fast to the top of the agenda of the SCCR.
Opening Statement of the Holy See at the 51th WIPO General Assembly
Noting that the “decisive factors in productivity have shifted from land and capital to know-how, technology and skill,” and the need for an intellectual property system that will “balance the private rights of inventors with the public needs of society” the Holy See gave the following opening statement at the 51th WIPO General Assembly.
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Statement by H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva
51th Series of Meetings of the WIPO Assemblies
September 24, 2013KEI opening statement at WIPO General Assembly
Delivered September 24, 2013, during NGO statements on agenda Item 5.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
As regards the Marrakesh treaty, KEI offers its sincere and profound thanks to Secretary Francis Gurry, Ambassador Trevor Clarke, Michelle Woods and Geidy Lung and others members of the WIPO staff for their dedication to a successful conclusion to this difficult negotiation.
DAG opening statement at WIPO General Assembly
This was the Developement Agenda Group (DAG) statement from Monday at the WIPO Geneval Assembly.
Thank you Madam President.First of all, I would like to congratulate you upon your election as Chair of the General Assembly of WIPO. Our group is confident that under your able stewardship we will achieve important results for developing countries, as well as for the intellectual property system.
South Africa Draft Policy on Intellectual Property rejects giving ownership interest in copyrighted works to broadcasters
On 4 September 2013, the Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) of the Republic of South Africa released its long-awaited “Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property“. This policy framework was gazetted in the Government Gazette as Vol. 579, No. 36816. Public comments will be accepted until 17 October 2013.