Intellectual Property Rights & Wrongs

South Bulletin (Issue 41, 22 September 2009) - Intellectual Property Rights & Wrongs

This issue of South Bulletin focuses on recent developments and controversies in the intellectual property rights area. We hope it will be timely because the WIPO General Assemblies will take place in Geneva starting on 22 September. The legitimacy and usefulness of the IP system depends on the correct balance between the public interest and the private privilege given to the IP holders as an incentive for innovation. This balance has been disrupted by a one-size-fits-all global regime in the TRIPS agreement. Yet TRIPS has some flexibilities that can be used to limit the damage that an inappropriate IP system can generate./.../