Experts Gather In Toronto To Assess ICANN And Internet Governance 07/10/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Public interest groups will join government officials, academics, attorneys, industry representatives and others in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, 12 October alongside the meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to discuss ICANN’s involvement in internet governance issues such as security and freedom online.
WIPO Members (Again) Intensify Talks On Genetic Material, TK, Folklore 07/10/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization members this week agreed to a year-long plan to intensively negotiate for a legal instrument(s) on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. Next year’s annual WIPO assembly in October will decide on whether to schedule a diplomatic conference to finalise the instrument.
OECD Report Shows Rise Of Internet Services 07/10/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Internet firms continue to drive global economic growth and job increases in the information technology sector, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found in a new report.
Google, Publishers Reach Digital Library Settlement 05/10/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Association of American Publishers (AAP) and Google Inc. have reached a settlement in a seven-year copyright dispute involving the Google Library Project, allowing the inclusion of copyrighted digital works.
India Ratifies Nagoya Protocol On Biodiversity Access And Benefit-Sharing 05/10/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Union Cabinet of India has approved ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, a measure that provides a tool against biopiracy. The 4 October action comes on the eve of the 11th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
WIPO Assembly Moves To Fast-Track Copyright Exceptions For Visually Impaired 04/10/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments The majority of member states of the 185-strong World Intellectual Property Organization have thrown their support for the fast-tracked negotiation of a new treaty or other instrument that sets limitations and exceptions to copyright for the benefit of the visually-impaired and those with print disabilities
Delay Of Pirate Parties’ WIPO Observer Status Raises Questions 04/10/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization yesterday approved all but one application for international non-governmental observer status at the UN agency: Pirate Parties International. This is likely to lead to a discussion of who can be an observer, sources say.
MSF Launches Patent Opposition Database 02/10/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors without Borders) today announced the launch of the “Patent Opposition Database,” an online resource to help patient groups or others to oppose wrongful patent applications as a way to ensure access remains open for affordable generic drugs.
WIPO 2012 Assembly Opens With Talk Of More Treaties 02/10/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 1 Comment Citing changing trends in intellectual property and the rise of IP as a major economic driver, the World Intellectual Property Organization, sounding upbeat after the well-received Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, is setting its sights on the conclusion of three long-delayed treaties.
WIPO General Assemblies Face Big Questions, Small Details 30/09/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Representatives of the nearly 200 members of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization – as well as industry and non-governmental groups – will gather this week for their annual meeting. In addition to IP policy issues, there are expected to be discussions about the development expenditures, the budget and organisational performance and the internal workings of the organisation, including audit procedures and problems with the construction of new buildings.