WIPO’s Gurry Discusses Iran/North Korea; Denies Whistleblower Retaliation 20/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry today said the UN agency has cut off its programme of providing computer equipment to countries in order to eliminate doubts in “certain countries” about the programme as it relates to Iran and North Korea, and said he is moving swiftly to establish an independent review. He also said that he would authorise any WIPO official with competence for the programme to testify about it if asked.
WIPO Announces New Policy On Assistance To North Korea, Iran 19/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization today announced a new policy for dealing with countries sanctioned under the United Nations and has discontinued the provision of computer hardware to countries such as North Korea and Iran. It said its past assistance is being reviewed by relevant UN sanctions committees, but that it believes it was not in violation.
IP Exchange ‘Getting Some Teeth’; First Offerings Likely In Autumn 19/07/2012 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new system to more effectively licence technology and facilitate the trading of intellectual property rights will come online later this year – and an increasing number of countries are taking notice.
Texts On Broadcasting, Copyright Education Exceptions, Metamorphise At WIPO 18/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee today received a large compilation text of proposals on limitations and exceptions for education and research, and promptly set about totally reworking it. They also reopened negotiations on a broadcasters’ rights treaty based on a new comparative table of proposals which they quickly deemed in need of redrafting. On broadcasting, the United States reopened a debate over whether the treaty should cover internet transmissions.
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.
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.