CIPIL spring conference 2017

CIPIL Annual Spring Conference 2017 – Intellectual Property and Human Rights

11 March 2017

Venue: Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, 10 West Road

Twenty years ago, the relationship between intellectual property law and human rights was largely an obscure, if interesting, topic of discussion amongst academics. Today, important parts of intellectual property need to be considered in terms of whether they effectively vindicate, are consistent with, or unduly restrict, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

This Conference sought to explore the interplay between IP and human rights. Beginning with an introduction to the different human rights instruments, their relations with European and national law, as well as an exploration of the methods used, the programme went on to consider particular interactions, tensions and conflicts: the relationship between copyright and human rights; the relationship between trade marks and health in the context of plain packaging; the relationship between copyright and a host of other rights in discussion of intermediary liability; and the relationship with patents and the right to health.

Conference Presentations

Please find below copies of the presentations/papers given at the conference:

The International Sources of Human Rights: The UDHR, Covenants, ECHR and EU Charter - Dr Surabhi Ranganathan (Powerpoint)

Linking Intellectual Property and Human Rights: Concepts, Perspectives, and Tools for Integration - Dr Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan (Powerpoint)

The Balancing Methodology - Professor Jonathan Griffiths (Powerpoint)

Patent Law and the Human Right to Health: The Case for Conscious Uncoupling - Dr Siva Thambisetty (Powerpoint)

Health Law, IP and Human Rights: Standardised Packaging of Tobacco - Dr Stephanie Palmer (Powerpoint)

The Human Right to Intellectual Property in the Charter - Dr Martin Husovec (Powerpoint)

Copyright and Freedom of Expression - Professor Martin Senftleben (Powerpoint)

Human Rights in Intermediary Copyright Liability - Dr Christina Angelopolous (Powerpoint)

Using Intellectual Property Tools to Achieve Human Rights Ends: The Example of the Marrakesh VIP Treaty - Professor Laurence Helfer