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LifestreamWhat do you know. Another example of unfair trade and intellectual piracy by an American transnational. Where is that invisible hand when you really need it?
Starbucks, the giant US coffee chain, has used its muscle to block an attempt by Ethiopia’s farmers to copyright their most famous coffee bean types, denying them potential earnings of up to £47m a year, said Oxfam.The development agency said the Ethiopian government last year filed copyright applications to trademark its most famous coffee names – Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe. Securing the rights to these names would enable the impoverished African country to control their use in the market and allow farmers to receive a greater share of the retail price.
The move would have increased its annual export earnings from coffee by 25%.
But Oxfam said Starbucks, which enjoyed a 22% rise in annual global turnover to £7.8bn in the year to October, has acted to block Ethiopia’s application to the US patent and trademark office. The USPTO has denied Ethiopia’s applications for Sidamo and Harar, creating serious obstacles for its project.
23:47 on November 11th, 2006
I thought patents were bad!
So when the ethiopians seek patent protection it is in fact good?
Too much for me.
04:01 on November 30th, 2006
The Government of Ethiopia has filed TRADE MARK applications to protect their ancient coffee names in the USA, Canada, Australia and in the EU. "Copyright" and "patent" are quite different IP tools which are used to protect the written word and inventions respectively.