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intellectual property

Tripping up TRIPs debates
24-Feb-2006 Tripping up TRIPs debates
Access to medicine is at the forefront of multilateral debates surrounding the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). This paper argues that bilateralism allows the United States to circumvent these debates and to set standards that serve and protect the pharmaceutical industry.
Ways and Means chair says US should drop lagging FTA partners
21-Feb-2006 Resource Center of the Americas
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) this week said the U.S. should drop partners in free trade agreement negotiations if talks on those agreements are not progressing.
US-Thailand: Talks could slow over plant and drug issues
19-Feb-2006 Bangkok Post
Differences over pharmaceuticals could be overcome, but the countries are far from reaching a common understanding on biodiversity issues.
FTA Watch adamant Thailand-US FTA must be stopped
9-Feb-2006 FTA Watch
On 7 February 2006, the FTA Watch warned about the catastrophe that would arise from the US’s FTA proposal to Thailand on Intellectual Property Rights which was submitted in the sixth round of negotiations.
‘Secret’ FTA details on the Net
8-Feb-2006
Details of US proposals in free-trade talks with Thailand - perceived by many Thais as “forbidden information” the government has tried to cover up - were recently posted for all to see in cyberspace. Witoon Leanchamroon, director of BioThai, a non-government organisation working for bio-diversity and community rights, said at a press conference yesterday he had been told a group of Americans involved in public health issues had posted a full text of the patent chapter from the Thai-US free trade talks at www.bilaterals.org.
EDITORIAL: Health at stake in free-trade talks
8-Feb-2006 The Nation
For the United States, intellectual property rights represent the single most valuable asset in light of the new reality of information-based economies and where they derive their national wealth. The supremacy of the US as a global power depends on how effective it is in acquiring and maintaining its ownership of knowledge assets.
Draft amendment to patent law a ’sell-out’
8-Feb-2006 Bangkok Post
Opponents of a free trade area (FTA) agreement with the US have lashed out at the government’s proposed amendment of Thai patent law to facilitate the United States’ patenting of drugs and living organisms in Thailand. They fear it would lead to greater control of the country’s resources by American firms.
US-Thailand FTA - More IPR text proposed by US (2006)
6-Feb-2006
General provisions, trademarks (including GIs) and domain names
Myths and realities: The impact of the US-Thai FTA on access to medicines
2-Feb-2006 Health GAP
Reeling from the negative publicity and pro-access to medicines messaging in Thailand and internationally, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has mounted a public relations campaign full of distortions and omissions.
US-Thailand FTA - IPR text proposed by US (2006)
27-Jan-2006
US proposal on ’patents’ and on ’measures related to certain regulated products’ for negotiation with Thailand under the IPR chapter of the current US-Thailand FTA talks.
Ecuador-Colomb-US resume FTA talks
25-Jan-2006 Prensa Latina
Ecuador, along with Colombia, is reopening Wednesday in Washington joint negotiation over the copyright issue in the Free Trade Agreement with the US, despite growing refusal in Quito.
US drops sanctions threat on Pakistan over piracy
25-Jan-2006 Khaleej Times
The United States has dropped a threat to cut off trade benefits for Pakistan because of steps that country has made to crack down on the piracy of US music, movies and software, the US Trade Representative’s office said on Tuesday.
Sacrificing lives for patents under FTA
17-Jan-2006 Bangkok Post
On the last day of the sixth round of Thai-US Free Trade Area talks, several academics and non-governmental bodies were invited to discuss their concerns with US negotiators on aspects of intellectual property rights, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and life form patents. For a number of reasons, only one academic showed up.
Wake-up alarm over FTA delays
16-Jan-2006 Gulf Daily News
The sticking point for the US-Bahrain FTA to come into effect is intellectual property rights (IPR) legislation, which must be passed by Bahrain’s Parliament first
Thailand, US argue copyright
12-Jan-2006
Intellectual property rights protection became the latest stumbling block in the current round of negotiations for a Thai-US Free Trade Agreement today, with Thailand complaining publicly about the Americans’ stand.
Anti-trade feelings delay CAFTA
12-Jan-2006 Miami Herald
The Central American Free Trade agreement faces skepticism and negative sentiment in countries working to implement the pact.
Thai-US FTA talks: Stumbling block
11-Jan-2006 The Nation
The Thai-US free-trade talks hit a snag yesterday after the head Thai negotiator for intellectual-property rights declared demands by the US for Thailand to tighten up drug patenting as “unacceptable”.
International NGO solidarity statement: US-Thai free trade negotiations
11-Jan-2006
Thai AIDS activists and their international allies are seeking suspension of scheduled trade talks that threaten to undermine Thailand’s lawful ability to produce, import/export, and market low-cost generic versions of life-saving medicines.
OPINION: It could be a matter of life and death
10-Jan-2006 Bangkok Post
Thailand should think carefully about surrendering its sovereign rights under the WTO — and access to cheap medicine — in exchange for an FTA with the United States
Korea-US FTA: Cool-headed approach needed to maximize actual benefits
9-Jan-2006 Korea Times
The atmosphere is ripe for starting talks with the United States for a tariff-free trade scheme, which, if realized, may change this country’s overall industrial picture as never before. But an FTA with giant, advanced economies, like America’s, requires a very careful approach.