Considering Canada’s Supreme Court Decisions In This Week’s WIPO Proceedings 18/07/2012 by Nancy Situ for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments As members of the international intellectual property community prepare for their third day of the 24th session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), they are told to keep the spirit of Beijing alive, referring to the recently concluded Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances. However, there is reason to keep another country’s spirit in copyright law in mind as well. Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down five critically important copyright judgments that may very well colour the proposals made by member states at the SCCR.
EU, UK Announce Plans To Open Access To Scientific Research 17/07/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission has announced plans to ease access to scientific research results, paving the way for what it hopes will be greater innovation and a higher return on its multi-billion euro annual research and development investment. And it was preceded one day by a similar plan in the United Kingdom.
New Proposals At WIPO Show Global Debate On Limitations And Exceptions To Copyright 17/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments New proposals for a text put forward today at the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee show the state of the global debate over limitations and exceptions to copyright for education and research.
More Copyright Treaties Sprouting At WIPO 16/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Flush with the success of last month’s agreement on a new treaty on audiovisual performances, World Intellectual Property Organization members this week are propagating other possible legal instruments on aspects of copyright. Mainly under consideration this week are exceptions to copyright, along with broadcasters’ rights, and on the first day of the meeting, new proposals emerged on exceptions for educational and research institutions.
ITU Cautious On Transparency Of New Telecom Regulations 16/07/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The UN International Telecommunication Union will publish the draft document for the future International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) and open a website for public comments on the much-debated document. But some hoped for more.
Industry Groups Press For EU, US Action On Trade Secret Protection 16/07/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Theft of trade secrets, or “confidential business information,” has reached such an appalling level that legislative action is needed, industry groups say. They’re pushing the European Union and United States to get involved, and may be making headway.
Mexican IP Office Hopes To Persuade Senate On ACTA 15/07/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Mexican Intellectual Property Office (IMPI) last week announced that the Mexican Ambassador in Japan had signed the much debated Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Now it thinks it can persuade the country’s new Senate to pass it.
WIPO Folklore Talks Headed To Assembly; Treaty Negotiation Unlikely In 2013 13/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization committee addressing protection of traditional cultural expressions (folklore) concluded a weeklong meeting today with progress on a draft text but doubts about moving to a high-level diplomatic conference in 2013, according to participants. The issue now moves to the annual WIPO General Assembly in October, where some said the debate may become more heated.
Hard Times Ahead For Rights Holders? IPR High On Brussels Agenda Before Recess 13/07/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments At a little-publicised annual meeting of the Transatlantic Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Working Group in Brussels this week representatives of the European Commission, several United States agencies and rights holder agreed that there might be tough times ahead for IPRs and rights holders. Meanwhile, the Commission is under pressure on copyright exceptions for visually impaired readers on the eve of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting. And the Commission this week introduced new rules on collective societies aimed at easing user access to content.
WIPO Governments Push On New Folklore Treaty Text; Indigenous Peoples Disappointed 13/07/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments After a late start, delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization today are trying to make up for lost time in an attempt to draft a potential treaty text to protect traditional cultural expressions on the last day of a weeklong meeting. The first revision of draft articles was issued yesterday at the end of the afternoon. The status of Indigenous Peoples was also examined by delegates the day before without much interest.