Group B efforts to block discussion of treaty

Group B has offered amendments to a proposed conclusion for the WIPO SCCR 18 meeting. The amendments are designed to eliminate any agreement to discuss a treaty for blind and reading disabled persons at the next meeting of the SCCR. The United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, the Holy See (the Vatican), the members of the European Union and other high income countries have joined in this statement. Later the EU offered an even blunter opposition to the treaty proposals. I have blogged about our disappointment in the Obama Administration on the Huffington Post here.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Daily Calendar for Ambassador Ron Kirk, March 20 to May 1, 2009

Using the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), KEI has obtained the daily schedule of Ambassador Kirk, from March 20 to May 1, 2009. KEI has separately asked the USTR to routinely as a matter of transparency post this information on the USTR web page.

The response to the follow is presented below in two pdf files:
March 20 to April 14, 2009
April 15 to May 1, 2009

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

The World Health Assembly takes step back, but leaves door open, for medical R&D Treaty

This morning the 62nd session World Health Assembly agreed to a resolution on public health, innovation and intellectual property that, among other things, settled outstanding issues regarding the “stakeholders” for various parts of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action. (GS/PoA). With regard to the issue of a possible medical R&D treaty, the outcome of the negotiation was something of a split decision. On the one hand, the WHA agreed that the WHO would not be a stakeholder, in terms of the specific element of the WHO Global Strategy document. Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Soundproof books

I spent a few minutes today on Amazon, to check on reports that some Kindle titles now have text to speech disabled. Among the authors who are “turning off” text to speech in Kindle editions of books are President Obama, Vice President Biden, Toni Morrison, the Pope, Stephen King, Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Isaac Asimov, Tom Brokaw, P.D. James, Robert B. Reich, George Will and Ann Coulter, to mention a few.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

GRULAC recommendations to Working Group to the PCT Assembly

Today is day four of the second session of the International Patent Cooperation Union (PCT) Working Group of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) taking place at WIPO. Here below are the suggestions of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Member States (GRULAC) would like to be incorporated into the recommendation of the Working Group to the PCT Assembly.The Members of GRULAC that are contracting-parties to the PCT Treaty suggest the addition of the following elements into the recommendation of the Working Group to the PCT Assembly.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized