Updated: USTR statement on use of NDAs to provide access to ACTA Internet text
Updated October 16, 2009, 11:10 am
White House shares the ACTA Internet text with 42 Washington insiders, under non disclosure agreements
On November 4-6, 2009, the next round of negotiations for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Negotiations (ACTA) will take place in Seoul, Korea. The following is another strange chapter in the secrecy surrounding this negotiation.
Background
Since ACTA was first announced, KEI has pressed the negotiating governments to provide more transparency, including recently, for example
WIPO Open-Ended Forum on Proposed Development Agenda Projects (October 13-14, 2009) commences
The World Intellectual Property Organization has convened an “Open-Ended Forum on Proposed Development Agenda Projects” (October 13-14, 2009). According to WIPO,
Comments on inadequacy of voluntary measures to ensure equal access to copyrighted works for persons with reading disabilities
In discussions about a possible WIPO Treaty for persons who are blind or have other reading disabilities, there have been suggestions by some that voluntary licensing by rights holders presents a sufficient solution to the problem. I studied several publications since 1985 to take a closer look at this viewpoint and find out what were the common perceptions.
Request for Solidarity from Korea: Gleevec price reduction
Korean civil society has asked KEI to disseminate this request for solidarity and action in their efforts to reduce the price of Gleevec, a leukemia treatment pill. The current price is approximately 2,300 USD per month for an adult patient and the Korean government has been sued by Novartis for trying to reduce the price a 14%. Korean civil society is also requesting Novartis to introduce a higher form, 400 mg, in Korea.
REQUEST for Solidarity:
Timeline: Some important dates for MySQL and the proposed Oracle/Sun merger
1994 Michael Widenius and David Axmark start developing MySQL 1995 Software company MySQL AB founded by Michael Widenius, David Axmark and Allan Larsson 23 May 1995 First internal release of MySQL April 1998 Michael Kunze coins the acronym LAMP for… Continue Reading
Wanda Noel’s 1985 Report on Problems Experienced by the Handicapped in Obtaining Access to Protected Works
In 1985, the Executive Committee for the Berne Convention and the Intergovernmental Committee of the Universal Copyright Convention published a report by Ms Wanda Noel, a Barrister and Solicitor from Ontario, Canada, on the topic of Problems Experienced by the Handicapped in Obtaining Access to Protected Works, as Annex II to a report of an agenda item “Copyright Problems Raised by the Access by Handicapped Persons to Protected Works.”
Ms Noel’s report is 26 pages, and is a readable and concise presentation of the main issues facing the WIPO SCCR today.
USTR Ron Kirk’s September 30, 2009 Speech on Intellectual Property
USTR head Ambassador Ron Kirk made another speech on intellectual property on September 30, 2009. The text of his speech is here. Below are a few relevant quotes.
On access to medicine:
WIPO General Assembly renews mandate of IGC
On October 1, 2009 the WIPO General Assembly renewed the mandate of the Intergovernmental Committee on Generic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore. Here below is the consensus decision reached by the General Assembly.
Bearing in mind the Development Agenda recommendations, the WIPO General Assembly agrees that that the mandate of the WIPO intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore be renewed as follows:
KEI files brief in Bilski case, focusing on role of non-patent mechanisms to stimulate innovation
Malini Aisola has written some background on the Bilski case here. Today KEI filed a friend of the court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case. A copy of our brief as filed is available here.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
INTEREST OF AMICUS CURIAE
THE GOAL OF THE PATENT REGIME IS NOT TO REWARD INVENTORS, BUT TO ENCOURAGE PROGRESS