Multilateral Trading System Under Scrutiny At WTO Ministerial 30/11/2009 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization’s first full ministerial in four years is not a negotiating forum. Rather, it is bringing together some 150 trade ministers for some soul-searching on the state of the multilateral system and the work of the WTO. Measuring the event’s success (or failure, as in some past ministerials) will be difficult, but new directions may be infused into the 15-year-old organisation and a high-level political statement may be used to drive trade negotiations forward in the coming year.
UN Talks On IP Licensing And Finance Head To Final Phase 27/11/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A United Nations group that has been hard at work laying out recommendations for how to effectively integrate intellectual property into secured financing law is heading into the final phase.
Les délégués espèrent trouver un consensus sur la coordination du Plan d’action pour le développement en avril 25/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Lors de négociations informelles tenues vendredi dernier dans la matinée, le Comité du développement et de la propriété intellectuelle semble s’être approché d’un consensus sur le mécanisme de coordination du Plan d’action pour le développement. Cependant, l’après-midi même, les gouvernements ont été incapables de surmonter les divergences qui subsistaient.
One (Almost) Happy Multi-stakeholder Family At The Annual Internet Governance Forum 24/11/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment If you don’t count China, it was difficult to find people speaking against an extension of the non-decision-making Internet Governance Forum (IGF) of the United Nations at last week’s gathering. An overwhelming majority of the 1,800 participants at the Egyptian tourist destination Sharm El Sheikh seemed to be in favour of the “multi-stakeholder” discussions taking place during the IGF events because they allow for better understanding on overarching issues like human rights and privacy or access problems in developing countries, but also the specialised problems with the internet infrastructure like internationalised domain names and the next generation internet, IPv6.
WTO GI Register Draft Report Sees Areas Of Convergence 23/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The outgoing chair’s draft report on progress at the World Trade Organization toward establishing a mandated register for geographical indications praises recent work and sees hope for convergence on outstanding issues such as legal effects and participation, according to a copy obtained by Intellectual Property Watch. But it details key differences on the issues that remain.
Delegates Look To April For Consensus On Development Agenda Coordination 20/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Informal negotiations appeared to bring the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property within reach of consensus on a coordination mechanism for the Development Agenda early this morning, but this afternoon governments were unable to overcome remaining differences.
WIPO, A (Rare) Profitable UN Agency, Ventures Into World Of Donors 20/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has been known to be different from the rest of the United Nations family in that it earns most of its own revenues, and typically operates with a budget surplus. But recognising that it could better meet the needs of its members with additional funds, it now is turning to the international donor community.
Special Report: IP Protection Secondary To Support For Small African Innovators 19/11/2009 by Robinson Esalimba for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Systematic and sustained programmes aimed at identifying and supporting African innovative talent may be a key part of Africa’s technological evolution, according to researchers and young entrepreneurs interviewed by Intellectual Property Watch. In the second part of a two-part series highlighting innovation challenges in Africa, Intellectual Property Watch focuses on harnessing and nurturing African innovation talent.
TRIPS Council Annual Report: Extension Of Health Amendment Deadline Looms Again 18/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization General Council, the WTO’s highest-level decision-making body in Geneva, on Tuesday received the annual report for the WTO committee on intellectual property rights. In it were descriptions of the past year’s IP debates and recommendations for extensions of deadlines.
Coordination Tops Issues At WIPO Development Agenda Meeting 17/11/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Deciding on a mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda will be the biggest area of discussion at this week’s WIPO meeting on IP and development, sources have said. But discussion also will focus on specific implementation projects.