US and EU Demand TRIPS-Plus Concession from Poorest Countries

 Posted by on April 30, 2013  No Responses »
Apr 302013
 

wto-logoDeveloped countries, particularly the United States and the European Union, have offered a poor and impractical deal of an incredibly short extension of 5 years with restrictive conditions to least developed countries that are entitled to be exempted from implementing the WTO TRIPS Agreement.

Particularly problematic is their demand that the LDCs agree to a “no-roll-back” clause, a TRIPS plus condition that will prevent LDCs from rolling back  (i.e. providing a reduced degree of IP protection) their current laws, even if they adversely impact their development concerns. Continue reading »

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New Seed Legislation Spells Disaster for Farmers in Africa

 Posted by on April 3, 2013  No Responses »
Apr 032013
 

sadcCivil society organisations from the SADC region, and around the world have condemned the SADC draft Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (Plant Breeders’ Rights) as spelling disaster for small farmers and food security in the region. These groups, representing millions of farmers in Africa and around the world have submitted their concerns to the SADC Secretariat. They are calling for the rejection of the Protocol and urgent consultations with farmers, farmer movements and civil society before it’s too late. Continue reading »

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Letter from 376 Civil Society Groups Supporting an Extension of the TRIPS Waiver for Least Developed Countries

 Posted by on February 26, 2013  No Responses »
Feb 262013
 

wto-logoAttached here is a letter from hundreds of civil society groups (representing millions of people worldwide) to members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) urging them to support the request and draft decision text proposed by the Least developed Countries (LDCs) to the WTO on extending the waiver that exempts LDCs from implementing the WTO-TRIPS agreement until they “graduate” from LDC status.

A lot is at stake for LDCs as TRIPS rules undermine human rights,development and health in developing countries. LDCs being the most vulnerable community should not be required to provide and maintain monopolies on essential goods. Continue reading »

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Letter to WIPO From 45 Civil Society Groups: IP Enforcement

 Posted by on December 2, 2011  1 Response »
Dec 022011
 

The letter below was sent to Mr. Francis Gurry on 30th November 2011. The contents were also communicated during the Advisory Committee on Enforcement that met on 30th November to 1st December 2011.

Regards,
Sangeeta Shashikant
Third World Network
—————————————————————————-

CIVIL SOCIETY LETTER

29th November 2011

Mr. Francis Gurry
Director General
World Intellectual Property Organization

Intellectual Property Enforcement activities in WIPO

Today it is widely known that proponents of a “maximalist agenda” on intellectual property (made up of OECD businesses and governments) are on a campaign to increase IP protection and enforcement far beyond the minimum standards of the TRIPS Agreements in ways that are “TRIPS-Plus-Plus”.[1] However such an approach disregards the development dimension, undermines public interests and compromises fundamental human rights such freedom of expression over the internet.[2] Continue reading »

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