WHO reform efforts to consider new modalities for engagement with NGOs, foundations, partnerships and for-profit-organizations

WHO reform is among the hot topics for consideration at the 130th session of the WHO Executive Board which meets from 16 January 2012 to 23 January 2012. One paper in particular, EB130/5 Add.4, entitled, “Governance: Promoting engagement with other stakeholders and involvement with and oversight of partnerships” describes how WHO may re-assess its relationship with non-governmental organizations including,

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Response to Federal Register notice seeking comments regarding Canada’s interest in TPPA negotiations

On December 7, 2011, USTR issued Federal Register Notice 76480-76481 requesting comments on “Canada’s Expression of Interest in the Proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement.” USTR issued similar requests for comments regarding Japan’s (Notice 76478-76479) and Mexico’s (Notice 76479-76480) expression of interest in the TPPA.

KEI has submitted a response to this notice available for download here.

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KEI comments for House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

On Wednesday, December 14, 2011 the Subcommittee on Trade of the Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Oral testimony was accepted only from invited witnesses. These witnesses included: Ambassador Demetrios Marantis (Deputy U.S. Trade Representative), Devry S. Boughner (Director, Intenrational Business Relations on behalf of Cargill Inc. and U.S. Business Coalition for TPP), Angela Marshall Hofmann (Vice President for Global Integrated Sourcing on Trade, Wal-Mart Stores), and Michael Wessel (President of The Wessel Group).

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16 December 2011: KEI side event @ 8th WTO Ministerial Conference: The TRIPS Agreement and Copyright

Friday, 16 December 2011
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) side event @ 8th WTO Ministerial Conference
Geneva
Room B, Centre William Rappard, World Trade Organization
Rue de Lausanne 154
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

The TRIPS Agreement and Copyright

Knowledge Ecology International
Introduction

TRIPS, the copyright 3-step test, and exceptions to rights

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WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents: Obama Administration’s proposal on patents and health

On Wednesday, 7 December 2011, the United States of America tabled a proposal on patents and health which was distributed at 6 PM by the WIPO Secretariat after much of the substantive dicussions

Standing Committee on the Law of Patents

Seventeenth Session
Geneva, December 5 to 9, 2011

PATENTS AND HEALTH: PROPOSAL BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Document prepared by the Secretariat

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