Friday Sightings

Quote of the week:

“They (India) attracted the pharmaceutical industry from South Africa, and international designer labels are manufacturing in India. India has clamped down on piracy. If we (South Africa) want to be winners we must do what winners do.” Leon Louw, executive director of the Free Market Foundation.

Algeria Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report:

"Algeria's [positive] score for risks to potential returns is negatively impacted by the government's strong pro-generics stance and shortcomings of the country's intellectual property rights (IPR) regime."

ANC v COPE: Congress of the People fight - focus shifts away from IP

"The ANC (originally) inferred that it owned the trademark rights to the name, but it appears it has abandoned this argument," Deon Bouwer (acting for COPE). For the earlier Afro-IP prediction post click here. IOL reports that "the interdict was [now] being sought on the basis that COPE should be prevented from using its name because it was "unlawful" and falsely represented the party as the "exclusive successor" to the 1955 Kliptown Congress of the People, at which the Freedom Charter was adopted." The case is set down for 8-12 December.

Recession..what Recession?

IP Finance recently quoted stats from the USPTO and OHIM offices that trade mark filings are set for another record year in Europe and the US but questions whether this can continue. A cursory view of filings in South Africa indicates that filings have not dropped in Africa's most advanced IP market either....(yet?). South Africa has the added advantage that its currency acts as a buffer. Bad news drops the rate making it cheaper to file...depending, of course, on whether your trade mark attorney passes that saving on.