Washington Declaration on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest

Abstract

This report is drawn from the Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest. Policy making on Intellectual Property needs to be conducted through mechanisms of transparency and openness that encourage broad public participation. This can counter the expansion of concentrated legal authority exercised by intellectual property rights holders. Public interest advocates need to make a coordinated, evidence-based case for a critical re-examination of intellectual property maximalism. Alternatives that inhibit intellectual property expansion should include reforms that limit the granting or maintenance of patent rights where they are not justified by net benefits to the public. To view the Declaration, see: http://infojustice.org/washington-declaration

Description

Meeting: The Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest, August 25-27, 2011

Keywords

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, COPYRIGHT, OPENNESS, OPEN ACCESS, PATENTS, ACCOUNTABILITY, ADVOCACY, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, GLOBAL, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Citation

DOI