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The Supreme Court in New Delhi has postponed the Novartis v. Union of India hearing. The case will now be heard on 28 February 2012. Related Articles:

• Indian Supreme Court To Hear Novartis Challenge To India’s Patent Law
• Inside Views: A Glance At Current Patent Litigation In India
• Does Introduction Of A Utility Model Protection Regime Make Sense In India?

In what is seen by many as a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg on Thursday ruled that an injunction obliging an internet service provider to install a filtering system to prevent peer-to-peer copyright violations on its network would violate European law. Related Articles:

• WIPO Panel Weighs Role Of Internet Intermediaries In Online Copyright Infringement
• Filtering and Blocking Closer To The Core Of The Internet?
• EU High Court Bans Patents On Human Embryo Stem Cells For Commerce

The importance of multilateralism, continuing global public health gains with sufficient funding, and finding a balance between the worlds of trade, intellectual property and public health were among the top issues raised during the a daylong high-level meeting at the World Trade Organization. Related Articles:

• WTO, WHO, WIPO To Discuss TRIPS And Health Declaration
• Chan: WHO Embarking On “Most Extensive” Reforms In Its History
• Pharma Industry Seeks To Bring A Fresh Face To Public Health Policy

The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee today agreed on "clusters" of topics under which they will discuss topics related to limitations and exceptions to copyright for libraries and archives, with an eye toward a possible instrument in the future. And this evening, a special meeting of ambassadors was held with the World Blind Union and the International Publishers Association, aimed at bridging differences on a separate but related treaty proposal on limitations and exceptions for print-disabled readers. Related Articles:

• Common Text Emerges On Copyright Exceptions For The Blind
• “Marathon” WIPO Copyright Session Opens With Hopes, Treaty Prospects
• WIPO Members Advance Draft Texts On Copyright Exceptions, AV Protection

For Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders), the 10th anniversary of the Doha Declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health marks an opportunity to look forward. Related Articles:

• WTO, WHO, WIPO To Discuss TRIPS And Health Declaration
• 10 Years Of TRIPS And Public Health: An Anniversary To Celebrate?
• Targets, TRIPS Flexibilities In UN HIV Meeting Declaration; Brazil’s Health Minister Hails Outcome

The World Health Organization Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework Advisory Group wrapped up its first meeting a day early. Scheduled to meet 21-23 November, the 18-member group was supposed to work out details on how to carry out its mandate, according to sources. Related Articles:

• WHO Advisory Group On Pandemic Flu To Meet Next Week
• WHO Announces Members Of Pandemic Influenza Advisory Group
• WHO Group Strikes Landmark Deal On Global Framework For Flu Pandemics

Officials from around the world have gathered for the next two weeks at the World Intellectual Property Organization in hopes of resolving the fate of several longstanding copyright policies under debate. The hope of many is that by the end of the copyright committee meeting starting yesterday, WIPO members will be on track to treaties or instruments on audiovisual performances, limitations and exceptions for print-disabled readers and for libraries and archives, and on broadcasters’ rights. And serious negotiations have already begun. Related Articles:

• WIPO SCCR Constructs Library Exceptions Topics For Discussion
• WIPO Committee Sees Breakthrough On Audiovisual Treaty After 11-Year Delay
• Possible Treaties Brewing At WIPO Committee On Copyright

The United States and China made notable progress on a range of intellectual property policy issues in cabinet-level meetings ending today, according to the US government. Related Articles:

• New White House IP Advisory Committees Elevate IP Enforcement To Highest Level
• US ITC Report On China Piracy Shows Billions In Losses: Senators Demand Action
• Drug Access Issues In Spotlight At UN High-Level Meeting On HIV, WIPO Event

Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, has issued a call for new thinking beyond old business models as a way to incentivize creativity in Europe. Related Articles:

• EU’s Kroes Not Amused By ICANN Decision On New TLDs
• Time For A Positive Agenda, WIPO’s Gurry Tells Copyright Crowd
• WIPO Calls On Film Industry Stars To Promote Audiovisual Treaty

The World Health Organization today announced the 18 members of the advisory group that will monitor and report on implementation of the new WHO Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework. The group started its first meeting today. Related Articles:

• WHO Advisory Group On Pandemic Flu To Meet Next Week
• WHO Pandemic Advisory Group Adjourns Early
• WHO Members Near Deal On Framework For Influenza Pandemics

It has been 10 years since the World Trade Organization adopted the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health. The declaration highlighting the public health aspects of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreed at the 2001 WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar was considered a milestone in ensuring greater access to medicines for all. Related Articles:

• WTO, WHO, WIPO To Discuss TRIPS And Health Declaration
• Doha+10: MSF Asks, What’s Next For TRIPS And Health?
• WTO Trains Officials On TRIPS Flexibilities For Public Health

With protests against draft US legislation like the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act ongoing and the European Parliament voting on 17 November for a resolution to request that the United States should be “refraining from unilateral measures to revoke IP addresses or domain names,” politicians are talking a lot about technology for the internet domain name system. But at the same time, engineers are getting more political and are intensively discussing technology providing the tools for blocking - by governments and private parties. Related Articles:

• IP Enforcement Permeates ICANN, US Internet Policy
• US Gets Threatening Over ICANN’s New Internet Domain Plan
• ICANN Board Approval Opens Internet To Many New Domains

The World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) successfully completed its eighth session tonight, making progress on a range of projects and agreeing to set up an ad hoc working group to examine an external report on the UN agency’s global provision of technical assistance. Related Articles:

• Debate At WIPO Over Process For Technical Assistance Review
• WIPO Development Committee Kicks Off With Compromise
• WIPO Committee On Development Agenda Suspended, Discussions Bogged Down

Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization this week are slogging through a series of documents related to intellectual property and development. But one document, an external report on WIPO’s provision of technical cooperation assistance, has given way to a substantive discussion about how to fully address the report’s findings of the need for improvement at the UN agency. Related Articles:

• WIPO Development Committee Completes Work; Creates Technical Cooperation Review Group
• Public Input Sought In Review Of WIPO Technical Assistance
• WIPO Audit/Evaluation Process Comes Of Age, With A Development Side

An advisory group on the new World Health Organization framework agreement on pandemic influenza preparedness is preparing to meet for the first time from 21-23 November. Related Articles:

• WHO Pandemic Advisory Group Adjourns Early
• WHO Announces Members Of Pandemic Influenza Advisory Group
• WHO Members On Verge Of New Framework For Pandemic Flu Response

The smallest countries in the World Trade Organization may get more time to comply with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) after an agreement today. Related Articles:

• Least-Developed Nations Propose Extension Of Deadline To Join TRIPS
• Pharma Backs Calls For Extension Of TRIPS Deadline For Least-Developed Countries
• UNCTAD: Bundle Of Opportunities To Improve Medicines Access In LDCs

The heads of three international organizations in Geneva will address a meeting next week on the subject of 10 years after the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health. The 23 November symposium at the Graduate Institute in Geneva involves a range of top officials and experts on the issue. Related Articles:

• Targets, TRIPS Flexibilities In UN HIV Meeting Declaration; Brazil’s Health Minister Hails Outcome
• 10 Years Of TRIPS And Public Health: An Anniversary To Celebrate?
• WTO Ministers Asked To Send Message On TRIPS Extension For LDCs

The European Court of Auditors yesterday issued a performance audit on European Commission management of the European geographical indications (GI) scheme, which covers products with an estimated value of €15 billion annually. The auditors found room for improvement in clarifying the rules and a need for greater awareness of GIs. Related Articles:

• WTO Members Discuss GIs As EU Proposes Higher Regional Protection
• European Commission Says It Deepens Commitment To Net Neutrality
• With WTO Stalled, GI Industry Proponents Move To Create Their Own Register

An international outcry from open internet proponents has emerged over draft US legislation, HR 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), on the eve of a hearing on the bill. International critics say the bill would put the United States on the same ground as China with regards to internet filtering, undermining the US argument for internet freedom. Related Articles:

• Tech Industry Sees Harm To Internet In US “Rogue Website” Bill
• Controversial US Bill Targeting “Rogue Websites” Introduced In US Congress
• Patent Reform, Piracy, Generic Drug Issues Likely For US Congress This Year

Public health advocates in a dozen countries worldwide have launched a coordinated campaign to bring about generic competition on a key medicine for HIV/AIDS, currently under patent by a pharmaceutical producer. Related Articles:

• Open Access Database Of Key HIV Patents Launched By Medicines Patent Pool
• Patent On AIDS Medicine Denied In India; Seen Unlocking Market
• Medicines Patent Pool Boosts HIV Drug Prospects With First Licence