On the 22nd of November 2024, WIPO Members adopted a new treaty on industrial designs i.e. the Riyadh Design Law Treaty (DLT). This is the second treaty that WIPO Members have adopted this year. The first treaty, i.e the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge, was adopted in May and… Continue reading The Riyadh Design Law Treaty
On the 24th of May 2024, after 25 years of negotiations, WIPO Members finally reached an agreement on a Treaty on ‘Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge‘ (WIPO Treaty on IP and Genetic Resources/new WIPO treaty). In essence, the Treaty requires patent applicants to disclose the country of origin or source of genetic… Continue reading The WIPO Treaty on IP and Genetic Resources: Implications for DSI and the BBNJ Agreement
Now that the WTO members have finally been able to agree on a TRIPS ‘waiver’ for covid-19 at the 12th Ministerial Conference, it is time to critically evaluate this waiver decision. To start with, the only key waiver in this decision is in its paragraph 3(b) which permits an eligible member to waive Article 31(f)… Continue reading The TRIPS COVID ‘Waiver’ Decision: Rhetorical Action or Realistic Solution?
Hi everyone, This is just a quick announcement about my first monograph titled the Interface between Intellectual Property and Investment Law which has just been published by Edward Elgar. The book critically examines how investment tribunals (should) engage with the rules of international intellectual property law when resolving investment disputes involving intellectual property rights. If… Continue reading The Interface between Intellectual Property and Investment Law
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) recently released the ‘Draft version 2’ of its General Comment on Article 15(1)(b) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). This draft version is dated 2 January 2020. Article 15(1)(b) of the ICESCR recognises the right of everyone to ‘enjoy the… Continue reading The Draft General Comment on Science and Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
Last week, the Indian government released its much awaited National Intellectual Property Rights Policy. As stated in the document, the rationale behind the policy ‘lies in the need to create awareness about the importance of IPRs as a marketable financial asset and economic tool.’ This rationale is clearly reflected in some of the objectives contained… Continue reading India’s Intellectual Property Policy and Human Rights
It is no longer news that Nigeria is seeking to amend its copyright law. Nollywood, Nigeria’s popular film industry, however has some complaints with regard to the amendment of the Nigerian copyright law. According to an article dated 28 November 2015 and published in a Nigerian newspaper, Vanguard, Nollywood apparently has its own demands that it expects… Continue reading Nollywood’s Absurd Demand for a Constitutional Right to IP in Nigeria
Earlier this week, another draft version of India’s National IPR Policy was leaked. The draft, dated 18 April 2015, was submitted by India’s ‘IPR Think Tank’. Some comments have been made on the draft (see here, here, and here). The first draft of the IPR policy prepared by the IPR Think Tank can be found… Continue reading That Leaked Draft National IPR Policy from India
Emmanuel Oke 