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intellectual property

FTA protesters’ views
9-Jan-2006 The Nation
Rallies against free-trade talks between Thai and US officials today are set to draw a record number of protesters. Here are the reasons for this given by some planning to attend the protests.
TDRI warns against US IP rights push
8-Jan-2006
A leading academic says there is no reason why Thailand should offer terms of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection beyond what’s available within the US legal framework.
International trade, health and children’s rights - Thailand
8-Jan-2006 3D
in December 2005 3D published a country briefing entitled “International trade, health and children’s rights - Thailand” which raises concerns regarding Thailand’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and their impact on children’s rights.
Thai-US FTA negotiations no impact on essential drugs
7-Jan-2006 MCOT
Civil society sector is demanding that the Thai government not give in on reduction of tariffs for US agricultural product, not ratify the treaty on plant varieties protection, and not recognise patenting of biological resources. In addition, they said the Thai government must resist the US demand to extend protection of pharmaceutical patent to more than 20 years or to protect data exclusivity.
Thai officials dispute opposition claims on free trade with US
6-Jan-2006
An official from Thailand’s bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiating team today disputed claims by opposition groups that a free trade agreement with the US would adversely affect the country’s prescription drug market.
IPR debate centers on cheap drugs
6-Jan-2006 Manager
The heated debate over intellectual property is one of the sticking points in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the United States, which are scheduled to resume next week.
PhRMA statement on US-Egypt free trade agreement
6-Jan-2006 PhRMA
PhRMA believes that a strong FTA is in the interests of Egyptian patients as well as the business community.
CRS Report for Congress: Intellectual property and FTAs
2-Jan-2006
Some observers believe that certain FTA provisions may lock the United States into current intellectual property policies, inhibiting opportunities for future reform. Others are concerned that under existing multilateral agreements, the intellectual property obligations found within one FTA may extend beyond that particular treaty partner. Some perceive FTAs to be an inappropriate and unfair vehicle for international intellectual property reforms due to the strong bargaining position of the United States.
Natural resources in the US-Andean Free Trade Agreement
20-Dec-2005 IRC Americas Program
The three Andean countries currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States, in their double capacity as signatories to the CBD and members of the group of biologically “mega-diverse” countries, are demanding that the agreement establish regulations that clearly specify the terms of access to genetic resources and the population’s traditional knowledge, and in which proper economic consideration, conservation, and development act as guiding principles.
Ecuador indigenous expect FTA defeat
19-Dec-2005 Prensa Latina
The fight against the Free Trade Area treaty with the US constitutes one of the priorities for the Ecuadorian Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE), the largest in the country.
NGO statement on need for WTO moratorium on regional and bilateral trade agreements undermining access to health
18-Dec-2005
NGOs call upon WTO Members and their trade negotiators to protect the public from the explosion of one-sided and harmful regional and bilateral trade agreements that impose TRIPS plus obligations on developing countries that undermine access to medicine.
Tonga’s WTO accession has TRIPS+ linkage
16-Dec-2005 Ip-health
Tonga acceded to the WTO yesterday and one of the conditions of it being allowed to join the WTO was to have TRIPS+ linkage of patent status and data exclusivity.
US economic and security interests enhanced by moral trade agreements
16-Dec-2005 USCCB
The chairman of the bishops’ International Policy Committee Monday offered a Catholic perspective on a pending free trade agreement, suggesting that the United States and several Andean nations could simultaneously promote human dignity and fair and sustainable development.
CRS Report for Congress: Andean-US FTA negotiations
16-Dec-2005
Given that CAFTA-DR passed only by a small margin, it is unclear how much support the U.S.-Andean FTA will have.
FTA ’to bar cheap Aids drugs’
12-Dec-2005
Aids patients are unlikely to gain access to cheaper drugs after the free trade agreement between Thailand and the United States is signed, as the planned Thai-US FTA is likely to protect only American patented drugs.
Peru’s acceptance of IP terms led to trade pact with US
9-Dec-2005 Intellectual Property Watch
An agreement by Peru to accept US demands on protecting intellectual property rights, including protections for pharmaceutical test data found in other US free trade agreements, paved the way for a final deal on a US-Peru FTA.
US, Andean nations narrow differences on IP in trade talks
4-Dec-2005 Intellectual Property Watch
Andean countries in late November narrowed differences with the United States over intellectual property protections in negotiations over a US-Andean bilateral free trade agreement, but divisions over market access for agriculture have likely delayed a final agreement until next year, at least for Colombia and Ecuador.
Colombia, Ecuador: more talks needed for FTA with US
23-Nov-2005 Xinhua
Colombia and Ecuador decided on Tuesday to break off their free trade talks with the United States for now, saying that more rounds of talks are needed.
Andean Nations seek US patent protection for native medicines
18-Nov-2005 Bloomberg
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are turning the tables on U.S. trade negotiators accustomed to winning tough safeguards for drug patents by demanding similar protections for traditional therapies such as roots and leaves.
US official urges Taiwan to do more on FTA
1-Nov-2005 Taipei Times
"The ball is in Taiwan’s court. It’s not enough simply to say that we want an FTA."