UN Panel Starts Consultations On Digital Cooperation: Philosophy and Practice 04/10/2018 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment There is a lot of energy and good dynamism, and some worries, too, about the immensity of the task ahead in the United Nations High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, Jovan Kurbalija, executive director of Panel’s Secretariat, said after the first face-to-face meeting last week and subsequent virtual town hall on 1 October. According to the mandate, the panel shall in less than a year present recommendations on ways and means for cooperation on digital policies and digital risks.
Trade In 2030: Just Who Will Decide The Rules On Ecommerce? 03/10/2018 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For ecommerce, just who should be making the rules was raised by a number of speakers at a session of this week’s 2018 World Trade Organization Public Forum entitled, “Ecommerce 2030: Enabling an inclusive future for e-commerce.”
WIPO General Assemblies Close: External Offices, Composition Of Governing Bodies Pushed To 2019 03/10/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies closed yesterday after 10 days of negotiations. Committee reports and audit and oversight reports were noted to the satisfaction of member states. The Assembly however had no choice yesterday but to push some off for another year to its next meeting in 2019. The composition of two governing bodies of the organisation, a potential treaty on industrial designs, and the location of new WIPO external offices are expected to be the subject of informal consultations until the next WIPO General Assembly. The governing body composition has bearing on the 2020 election of director general.
5th Global Congress On IP And The Public Interest: Successes, Strategies Highlighted 03/10/2018 by David Branigan, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment WASHINGTON, DC — More than 400 activists, academics and practitioners from over 50 countries gathered at this year’s Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest, according to organisers. At the Congress, participants shared success stories, developed strategies, and engaged in critical dialogue to re-think and re-invent intellectual property systems that serve the public interest.
Trade In 2030: WTO Public Forum Opens With Visions For The Future 02/10/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment What will trade look like in 2030? This is the topic of the 2018 World Trade Organization Public Forum opening today. During the discussion opening the forum, WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo said technological evolution cannot be stopped and should be shaped so it can yield the best results. Alibaba founder Jack Ma invited governments to build infrastructure to help ecommerce and stop trying to regulate it.
Interview With Miguel Ángel Margáin, Director General Of The Mexican Institute Of Industrial Property 01/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Miguel Ángel Margáin, Director General of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, took office in early 2013, and was in Geneva for the annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies. William New of Intellectual Property Watch sat down with him for an interview. He spoke about achievements of the office during this administration, major amendments to adhere to global treaties and changes in the NAFTA, the introduction of geographical indications, and the ascendance of IP rights in Latin America.
WHO Head Highlights Tobacco Plain Packaging Victory At WTO; Vaping Lobbyists Hit Geneva 01/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr Tedros) today hailed a dispute settlement decision at the neighbouring World Trade Organization upholding laws requiring tobacco products to be packaged without logos or designs as a way to reduce interest in smoking. Meanwhile, lobbyists for popular alternative “electronic” tobacco products such as vaping are out in force in Geneva this week.
Alternate Dispute Resolution For IP Gains Momentum, Panellists Say At WIPO 01/10/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Protecting an invention or a creation with intellectual property rights is only truly effective if inventors and creators can enforce those rights. Small and medium sized enterprises find it difficult and costly to go to court to sue potential infringers of their IP rights, and most time, just renounce, according to speakers at a panel on the side of the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies this week. A much cheaper and quicker route than going to court is to seek dispute resolution through a dedicated service, the panellists said.
WIPO General Assemblies Mid-Week Notebook: Heating Up 27/09/2018 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After two days of general statements, World Intellectual Property Organization delegates delved into more substantial subjects, and convened in small closed informal discussions to try to solve issues left open during the year. Among them is the composition of WIPO Coordination Committee and Program and Budget Committee, both WIPO governing bodies. Others include potential treaties on harmonising international applications by industrial designs creators, and on the protection of broadcasting organisations against signal theft.
Interview With The Korea IP Office’s Acting Commissioner 27/09/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Acting Commissioner Kim Tae Man is attending the annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly this week. In that context, he sat down with Intellectual Property Watch, and in a mutually prepared Q&A, he described some of KIPO’s policies and future plans, collaboration with WIPO, international partnerships, and regional efforts toward global harmonisation.