What Questions Did The WSIS+10 High Level Event Answer? 16/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Consultant Richard Hill writes: The WSIS+10 High Level Event (HLE) last week unanimously adopted two documents (a Statement and a Vision), consisting of some 37 pages of text. What can be learned from this event regarding the evolution of the Internet and its governance? Some of what can be learned confirms what was learned from Netmundial. This short note covers only such items (that is, those that overlap Netmundial), and it may not cover all such items. The HLE output contains many items that were not covered by Netmundial, and Netmundial covered some items that were not covered by the HLE (in particular mass surveillance and the transition of the IANA function).
States’ Role In Multistakeholder Internet Governance Evolving 16/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As the global internet governance landscape started without states in the foreground, the multistakeholder model and the participation of governments in it is still evolving, a recent panel of experts said.
WIPO Rediscovers Consensus As Delegates Agree PCT Amendments 14/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A World Intellectual Property Organization working group considering amendments to the Patent Cooperation Treaty ended a weeklong meeting in relative agreement, in contrast to recent WIPO meetings. Agreement was found on delicate issues such as reduction of fees or procedures for appointing international authorities. Integration of the Patent Prosecution Highway, however, was not accepted.
New Paper On Common Issues In WIPO TK, Genetic Resources Talks 13/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The chair of the World Intellectual Property Organization traditional knowledge and genetic resources committee has circulated a draft paper on common issues in the negotiations, in hopes of bringing parties closer together ahead of the next committee meeting in July.
WIPO Report Indicates Unprecedented Rise In Renewable Energy Tech Innovation 13/06/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new report commissioned by the World Intellectual Property Organization shows a huge increase in patent filings related to renewable energy technologies relative averages. The patent landscape in this area indicates that innovation is taking place across a greater geographical scope, and is shifting towards the global East. The report, presented this week, opens up questions for policymakers, and for further research regarding drivers for these trends and other measures of innovation.
New Report Pinpoints Challenges To Open, Sustainable Internet For All 13/06/2014 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment While in 2015 nearly 3 billion internet users will be connected across the world, their experiences once they are online will vary considerably according to their country. To find ways to bring everyone up to the same speed and have the same user experience, worldwide remedies were discussed at the occasion of the launch of the Global Internet Report 2014 – “Open and Sustainable Access for All.”
Looking Forward To Inclusion, 10 Years After World Summit On Information Society 12/06/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment This week, governments and stakeholders have been taking stock nearly 10 years after 2005 UN-led World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and working to set new goals for the future. One thing seems clear: a full information society has not been achieved yet, and these issues may form part of the post-2015 development agenda at the UN.
New Multistakeholder Initiative: “My Data Belongs To Me” 12/06/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A new initiative by the World Summit Award (WSA) initiative seeks to use its global multistakeholder network to push forward personal data ownership and big data issues at UN discussions. At an open discussion, the WSA invited participants to share views on issues with the current system of data use, the need for permission-based access, and steps for further action.
TRIPS Council Debates Non-Violations, Innovation, Green Tech Transfer 12/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Whether countries can bring intellectual property complaints against each other under the World Trade Organization even if they don’t violate WTO rules was a topic of debate this week, but could not be resolved.
Small Farmers’ Rights Sidelined In Uganda’s Plant Breeding Regulation 12/06/2014 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In a country with over 35 million people, Uganda’s economy is based on agriculture. Over 80 percent of the country’s workforce is employed in the sector, contributing up to 23 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).