WIPO Traditional Knowledge Division Provides Capacity Building, Publications 01/02/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge through the intellectual property system has been discussed for many years at the World Intellectual Property Organization. While delegates are working on potential international instruments to provide such protection, the WIPO Traditional Knowledge Division is involved in technical assistance and capacity building, providing information and issuing publications.
Republic Day Of India Celebration In Geneva: Sounds, Sights, Tastes – And History 30/01/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Friends and followers of the nation and culture of India gathered in Geneva this week to celebrate India’s Republic Day, with a ceremony and feast held in the halls of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. Among the many achievements and areas of growth mentioned of the rising economy was its prowess in generic medicines production.
Copyright And Artificial Intelligence 30/01/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Ed Klaris writes: Recently, a photographer whose camera was used by a monkey to take a selfie settled a two-year legal battle against an animal rights group about copyright over the image. The lower court had denied the monkey a copyright, but the photographer did not want to face the appeals court. Whether monkeys can create copyrighted works is not exactly a pressing question for our time. But the important issues raised by this case and others about who owns creative work in an increasingly automated world are crucial to the future of copyright. With the advent of AI software, computers — not monkeys — will potentially create millions of original works that may then be protected by copyright, under current law, for more than 100 years.
ITU: 4 Of 5 People In LDCs Can Access Mobile Networks, But Are Not Using Internet 24/01/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report by the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) shows “great strides” in mobile phone penetration in least-developed countries. However, those countries are well behind developed countries when it comes to internet usage.
Julia Reda-Led Panel Discussion Reveals – Publishers’ Right Faces High Resistance From Academic Circles 21/01/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament organised last autumn the panel discussion titled, “Better Regulation for Copyright: Academics Meet Policy Makers” in Brussels. This is an initiative that together with a recently published study questions whether national and EU neighbouring rights for publishers are actually lawful. The article below gives an overview of the panel discussion and movements that followed in the legislative process in Brussels, with a special focus on the press publishers right, writes Ines Duhanic.
Moving Landscape In The IP World – Organisations, Industry, Law Firms 19/01/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The end of 2017 and start of 2018 brought a lot of changes in the global intellectual property arena. The World Health Organization underwent major changes in its leadership following a new head elected in May, UNAIDS has a new deputy executive director, the World Intellectual Property Organization is seeking a new leader of its Global Challenges division, and the Board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers decided on a number of appointments. The European Patent Office elected a new president, and the industry world also saw its share of changes. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations welcomed some new faces, and the head of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry is changing. Law firms saw a high level of revolving chair movements, and promotions of attorneys to partners.
Heads Of State At Davos’ Door: Trump, Modi, Macron, May 17/01/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Economic Forum is meeting next week in Davos, with Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi opening the forum, and US President Donald Trump closing it. One of the focuses of the annual meeting will be on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on common challenges, such as the environment and the global economy.
Year Ahead: Copyright, Unified Patent Court Remain High On EU Priority List 16/01/2018 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Plans to update European Union copyright rules advanced in 2017 but remain contentious heading into the new year. The proposal for a directive on copyright in the digital single market is the subject of intense debate between the EU Presidency and the European Parliament, with no clear end in sight to the negotiations. Several issues, including a possible “ancillary right” for news publishers and a plan to force online platforms to filter all uploads to combat copyright infringement, remain unresolved. Other copyright matters, such as a regulation on broadcasting and a review of the EU database directive, are in the works. On the patent side, a pressing question is whether – and when – the EU unified patent and patent court (UPC) might finally launch. Several EU comprehensive trade agreements, which include provisions on intellectual property rights, are under negotiation. Cases to watch in the European Court of Justice include a referral from the Netherlands on the issue of whether the taste of cheese can be copyrighted.
Libraries – A Trio Of European Court Rulings 16/01/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In recent years, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Europe’s highest court, has made three important rulings concerning digital library activities in Europe, Vincent Bonnet and Barbara Stratton write on the EIFL blog.
USTR Notorious Markets: Online Ads Still Funding IP Infringement; Alibaba Fires Back About Report 12/01/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Office of the United States Trade Representative today released its annual list of the worst outlaw online and physical markets around the world, citing a range of major sources of problems in every part of the world. The list this year highlights new technologies, identifies online advertising as a large revenue source for counterfeiters, and includes Chinese online market Taobao, owned by internet giant Alibaba, for the second year in a row, leading the company to claim bias and politics are at play.