After more than 16 years of negotiations, the European Free Trade Association, which consists of four countries Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway, has entered into a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with India.
One interesting aspect of the new agreement is that it provides enhanced and non-discriminatory protection for intellectual property among the signatory states.
The lack of proper legal policy frameworks for the protection of traditional knowledge in emerging economies provides a vacuum for industrialized nations to exploit traditional knowledge and the resources of indigenous communities.
“Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity” is the theme of this year’s World Intellectual Property Day, which is being held on April 26. It is a timely reminder of the importance of promoting diversity in IP and among entrepreneurs and business leaders. As the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) states, women everywhere are driving scientific breakthroughs, setting new creative trends and building businesses, but: “Too few women are participating in the intellectual property system. That means too few women are benefitting from IP.”
