Policy Discussions and International Organizations
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) deliver valuable guidance and analysis about innovation and IP policymaking to governments and other stakeholders. They also provide a forum for policymakers and other actors to discuss best practices and to set high-level political objectives and direction. Each IGO has a specific mandate and scope of work. The mission of the World Intellectual Property Organization “is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all”. Given its mission and extensive technical expertise, WIPO has a leading role to play in demystifying how IP and other policies can be framed to drive technological advancement and socio-economic development. Engagement with IP users helps keep WIPO and other IGOs connected to emerging issues and developments in the real economy. Innovation Council members engage with IGOs to share their firsthand experiences bringing technologies to people.
Innovator Perspectives on the IGC Negotiating Text
Innovation Council released a piece sharing their perspectives on the IGC Negotiating Text at the start of the May 2024 IGC Diplomatic Conference. It goes over concerns with the text including sections that touch on their definitions, retroactivity, patentability criteria, items of unknown origins, ABS requirements, fraudulent intent, correcting disclosures, and lastly on scope and DSI.
See here for the full perspectives.
Innovation Council Opening Statement at the IGC Diplomatic Conference
Innovation Council put together its opening statement at the May 2024 IGC Diplomatic Conference. The statement emphasized how important it is that negotiators safeguard legal certainty in the patent system as this not only affects both small and large patent owners, but also the organizations they partner with and those that interact with their IP. Three things that will be important to pay attention to include : 1) clearly and narrowly defining the scope, 2) clarifying and confirming appropriate PDR administrative requirements, and 3) excluding patent-based sanctions.
See here for the full statement.
IFPMA on Sustainable Access to Effective Antibiotics
IFPMA published a position paper this July addressing some of the challenges that exist in ensuring access to safe and quality-assured antibiotics ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) this coming September 2024. In the paper, they also propose a set of policy changes for consideration.
See here for the publication announcement with highlights of the challenges and recommendations and here for the full position paper.
Innovation Council Opening Statement at 2024 WIPO General Assemblies
The 57th WIPO General Assemblies will take place in Geneva from July 9 to 17, 2024. You may follow the live transmission of available hybrid proceedings online.
See here for Innovation Council’s Opening Statement from Director Jennifer Brant.
WIPO 2024 World IP Report
WIPO’s 2024 World IP Report titled ‘Making Innovation Policy Work for Development’ explores the need for innovation policies to focus on developing innovation capabilities. It offers a new methodological framework, complemented by three industry case studies – agriculture technology, motorcycle and video games – in Brazil, Finland, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Poland and the United States.
Click here for the full report.
Summary of IGC Conversation with Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran and Dr. Axel Braun
This document provides a synopsis of the online conversation that Innovation Council held with experts Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran and Dr. Axel Braun to discuss IGC developments and negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Click here for the one pager and to find the full transcript.
IGC Conversation with Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran and Dr. Axel Braun
Innovation Council spoke online with experts Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran and Dr. Axel Braun to discuss IGC developments and negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Both are patent lawyers with scientific backgrounds who shared their insight about patent disclosure requirements (PDR) for inventions that are based on genetic resources (GR) and/or associated traditional knowledge (TK) in different countries. They drew attention to shortcomings of the so-called Chair’s text, which is the basis for the WIPO negotiations aimed at delivering a new WIPO international instrument setting forth a PDR. Drawing from their perspectives from both the biopharmaceutical and agriculture biotech sector, they discussed specific examples of problems that arise when PDR-related legislation is unclear.
Click here for the one-pager and for the full transcript.
Empowering Innovation, Enabling Collaboration: A Blueprint for Pandemic Preparedness
Innovation Council in collaboration with co-authors Mark Schultz and Douglas Park created the policy brief Empowering Innovation, Enabling Collaboration: A Blueprint for Pandemic Preparedness to highlight key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic response and explains how to incorporate them into the new pandemic preparedness treaty being negotiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its member states.