incommunicado

The third attempt at concluding negotiations on a draft protocol text on international biodiversity access and benefit-sharing will take place in Montreal on 18-21 September, according to official sources. Delegates at the meeting will try to agree on the text, before the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in Nagoya, Japan, in October. [...] Related Articles:

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There was significant activity at the close of the public comment period on Brazil’s proposed reform of its copyright law, according to blogger Volker Grassmuck, who has followed the reform effort closely. Grassmuck detailed a last minute rush in submissions on 31 August from a network of civil society and artists groups aiming to legalise [...] Related Articles:

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The second meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Working Group on the Development of the Lisbon System (Appellations of Origin) is taking place in Geneva from 30 August – 3 September. At this meeting WIPO was expected to present a study on the relationship between regional systems for the protection of geographical indications and the [...] Related Articles:

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The powerful World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee is meeting this week for three days of discussions on a new strategic plan, the status of its audit function in the aftermath of past financial mismanagement, the financing of new projects related to the Development Agenda, and new policies on WIPO financial reserves, languages and investments. Related Articles:

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Barely a year after her appointment as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Administrator for Policy and External Affairs, Arti Rai has resigned her position and will go back to a faculty position at Duke University Law School, according to a USPTO spokesperson. Rai joined the USPTO in October 2009. Paul Salmon will [...] Related Articles:

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Eight patents on HIV/AIDS medicines are being challenged by the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), a US-based nonprofit legal service group working to “protect the public from the harms caused by errors within the patent system, particularly the harms caused by undeserved patents and unsound patent policy,” the group has announced. The patents, held by US-based Abbott [...] Related Articles:

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Sagging stock prices in the second quarter of 2010 attracted the interest of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the foundation added the Goldman Sachs Group and Monsanto to its portfolio, according to the Dow Jones Newswires. The foundation recently bought about 500,000 shares of the giant biotech company, according to another financial website. According [...] Related Articles:

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An analysis of practices and policies involving intellectual property, technology transfer and development shows the difficulties of achieving a positive correlation between those areas, writes Cheikh Kane. Related Articles:

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International public health in Geneva is no longer just the province of the World Health Organization. Dozens of intergovernmental and nongovernmental agencies, along with financing organisations and partnerships, have headquartered their operations in Geneva, making the mid-sized Swiss city a public health capital of the world. Many of these organisations are engaged in addressing the critical interface between public health, development and innovation, including intellectual property rights. The following is a backgrounder and guide to many of the organisations working on these issues in town. Related Articles:

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Foreign content producers and broadcasters hope the soon-to-be-launched Africa Media Rights Watch will help convince the region’s regulators and consumers alike to increase respect for copyright. Related Articles:

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Une analyse des pratiques et des politiques impliquant la propriété intellectuelle, le transfert de technologie et le développement démontre la difficulté à parvenir à une corrélation positive entre les différents domaines, écrit Cheikh Kane. Related Articles:

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• Les pays en développement s’investissent de plus en plus dans le programme d’application des droits à l’OMPI

A network neutrality policy proposed recently by industry giants Google and Verizon not only sparked controversy here in the United States, but the news is making waves internationally as well. Related Articles:

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A recent Court of Justice of the European Union opinion in Monsanto Technology LLC v. Cefetra BV et al. may unintentionally inflict serious economic harm on the European biotechnology industry, argue industry attorneys Richard Peet, Vid Mohan-Ram, and Philippe Vlaemminck. Related Articles:

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The importance of knowledge is increasing at a rate faster than patent offices can keep up with the demands of new inventors, reads the introduction to a proposed six-year strategic plan of the World Intellectual Property Organization. Creators and manufacturers of knowledge products are rapidly diversifying geographically, new innovation models are arising, and new demands are being placed on protected works for use in technology transfer or for shared global needs such as environmental sustainability or public health. Related Articles:

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The pandemic threat of the H1N1 or "swine flu" virus has now passed, World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan announced today. Related Articles:

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The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Edition features top news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the international IP community, news briefs and more. The August/September edition is now available for subscribers at: http://www.ip-watch.org/user/newsletter. Related Articles:

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Dear Readers, Intellectual Property Watch would like to thank all of you who responded to our first-ever call for help with a show of support from a range of sectors over the past few weeks. Finding a sustainable model will be essential to our ability to continue bringing you the unique, high-quality reporting, documents and information you have come to expect from us in an open-access format. We still have a long way to go, but we have benefited from your initial financial contributions (including a number from individuals on their own behalf), subscriptions, and helpful suggestions and ideas, including for possible funders, partnerships, marketing and advertising options, and prospects for new subscriptions. In the coming months, you will see changes that reflect these contributions and inputs, as well as new approaches aimed at sustainability. And with a critical turning point looming for IP, innovation and the economy, we hope to keep you on the front lines of policy, law and trends more than ever. To view the IP-Watch call for help, click here: http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-admin/page.php?action=edit&post=11476 Related Articles:

• Reminder: Urgent Call To Support Intellectual Property Watch
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