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intellectual property

CETA is more about corporate rights than free trade
9-Nov-2013
Since announcing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) two weeks ago Harper’s Conservatives have repeatedly labelled those questioning the deal as “anti-trade”. But this Canada-European Union accord is one part trade and four parts ‘corporate bill of rights’.
Ottawa challenged to release internal estimates of Europe free-trade drug costs
8-Nov-2013
The federal government won’t release internal documents that may predict potential higher drug costs for Canadians under new patent rules agreed to in the free-trade deal with Europe, Trade Minister Ed Fast says.
Canada-EU trade agreement presages IP reform
3-Nov-2013
The far reaching provisions of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union will have considerable impact on Canada’s IP regime.
EU-Thailand FTA - IP chapter (draft Sep 2013)
8-Oct-2013
Patents against people: How drug companies price patients out of survival
2-Oct-2013 Dissent Magazine
The struggle for access to medicine presents a legal and ethical minefield for rich and poor countries alike—one that is being fought out as humanitarians challenge corporations over intellectual property rights.
ACTA-plus damages in EU-Singapore free trade agreement
30-Sep-2013 FFII
The recently disclosed text of the EU-Singapore FTA contains the much criticized retail price damages, known from the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the treaty the European Parliament rejected last year.
Thailand: Uncertainties continue to plague FTA deal with Europe
16-Sep-2013 Bangkok Post
Thai trade representative Olarn Chaiprawat has given civil society groups a confirmation that "TRIPS-plus" and drug issues will not be included in the Thai-EU FTA negotiations.
Colombia farmers’ uprising puts the spotlight on seeds
5-Sep-2013 GRAIN
On 19 August, Colombian farmers’ organisations initiated a massive nationwide strike against the government’s policies. Seeds emerged as one highly visible issue.
’970’ asks why Colombia is confiscating farmers’ rice and dumping it in the garbage
30-Aug-2013 NTN24
In the midst of a nationwide agrarian strike, a documentary about a new law criminalizing farmers for the centuries old practice of saving the best seeds and using them for the next crop is igniting debate about the treatment of the country’s farmers.
The deadly cost of secret free trade deals
8-Aug-2013
Once again, our government is negotiating a trade deal in secret — and once again, the chorus of “free market” fundamentalists is assuring us that what’s good for lining corporate pockets must be good for us all.
IP Rights chapter of TPP far from final, says ministry
3-Aug-2013
The Intellectual Property (IP) Rights chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement is far from being finalised.
Diverse international coalition launches alternative process to secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership talks
29-Jul-2013 Our Fair Deal
The Fair Deal Coalition has launched a new initiative that will give Internet users a platform to discuss what copyright should look like under the TPP.
’TPP must strike a balance in IP’
22-Jul-2013
The Asia Pacific region is leading the world in mobile computing, enabling the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to leapfrog into large business opportunities.
TPPA: NGOs want medical and tobacco business excluded in free trade talks
20-Jul-2013
Malaysia should exclude medical and tobacco businesses in the ongoing free trade talks under the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
Canada urged to reject TPP drug patent proposal as bad for poor countries
17-Jul-2013
Canada is pushing back against a campaign by activists trying to block what they say are onerous intellectual property rules that would raise the price of pharmaceuticals in poor countries.
The major obstacles to the EU-US free trade deal
12-Jul-2013 Public Service Europe
Topics where EU and US politicians and stakeholders’ interests clash — such as public procurement, data protection, financial services and agricultural issues like geographical indicators and sanitary and phytosanitary measures – will prove the most problematic during talks.
TICFA at long last
19-Jun-2013 Financial Express
With the Cabinet’s nod to give it a go ahead, the proposed Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA) between Bangladesh and the USA is almost through, awaiting to be signed at a convenient time by the two governments.
A Kiwi-sized "Spanner in the works" of the TPP?
17-Jun-2013 Mondaq
Are the PBS and Pharmac under threat from the TPP? Certainly, the respective governments of both Australia and New Zealand think not. So why then the paranoia? Quite simply, we need the US more than they need us. In order to secure the TPP (and with it, for example, access to the lucrative US dairy market), both Australia and New Zealand will likely need to yield in several key areas.
Witnesses at US trade hearing offer opinions (and warnings) on intellectual property in upcoming negotiations with the EU
31-May-2013 Infojustice
Today the Obama Administration’s inter-agency Trade Policy Staff Committee held the first day of its two-day hearing on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Food culture clash: EU, US conflicting concepts for GIs; both covet Asian market
30-May-2013 IP Watch
A US trade association is raising concerns about the US and EU imposing their own approaches to GIs through FTAs, partiuclarly in Asia