[Ip-health] Chilean official takes helm of WIPO patent committee

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

http://www.keionline.org/index.php?option=3Dcom_jd-wp&Itemid=3D39&p=3D123

Chilean official takes helm of WIPO patent committee
June 23rd, 2008 by Thiru Balasubramaniam

At 10:52 AM today, the United States of America (on behalf of Group B,
the =93rich country=94 group of WIPO) nominated Maximiliano Santa Cruz of
Chile to be chair of the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents
(SCP). Singapore, on behalf of the Asian Group, seconded the
nomination of Mr Santa Cruz and proposed candidates from China and
Romania as Vice-Chairs. Brazil registered its support for this
complement of candidates.

Brazil made some general comments on the WIPO Report on the
International Patent System. The delegate from Brazil suggested that
the committee not prejudice future work by limiting discussion to just
four items put forth during the ill-fated Substantive Patent Law
Treaty (SPLT) negotiations. namely prior art, grace period, novelty
and inventive step (obviousness). He noted that WIPO=92s informative
matrix detailing selected provisions from around 100 countries on
these four aforementioned items in addition to matrices on
=93sufficiency of disclosure, exclusions from patentable subject matter
and exceptions and limitations of the rights=94 could give the
impression that the SCP was intent on harmonization of these seven
topics. The Brazilian representative requested that the International
Bureau produce a comparative matrix on countries=92 provisions on
remedying anti-competitive practicies, transfer of technology and
standards in information and communications technology (ICT).


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Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
thiru@keionline.org


Tel: +41 22 791 6727
Mobile: +41 76 508 0997