Revised WIPO Treaty On Appellations Of Origin On Course, Chair Says 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of an international treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization protecting appellations of origin last week worked on a draft treaty revision, which now includes geographical indications. Treaty signatories aim to hold a high-level negotiation in 2015 to approve the revision. Meanwhile, countries which do not use geographical indications have voiced concerns about the proposed revision.
Panel: Protection Of Handicrafts Gains Global Interest; Challenges Persist In The South 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the side of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting last week working to revise a treaty protecting appellations of origin and soon to include geographical indication, a private-sector seminar was organised in the hope of generating economic interest in non-agricultural geographical indications.
Cape Town Conference Highlights Innovation, IP And Public Interest 08/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – Some 350 experts from around the world are gathering here this week to discuss intellectual property rights and innovation as they relate to the public interest.
Experts At WHO Select Eight Projects To Boost Medical R&D For Developing Countries 06/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A group of experts summoned to select projects presenting innovative ways to foster research and development of medical products for diseases primarily affecting developing countries at the World Health Organization this week finished their work and selected eight projects out of 22. Civil society was quick to express concern that the selected projects do not propose a new way forward. Now WHO member states must narrow the list down further.
Candidates From Australia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Vie For WIPO Director Seat 06/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The names are in: four candidates will compete to be the next director general of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. In addition to Australia’s nomination of incumbent Francis Gurry to lead for a second term, Nigeria, Panama, and at the last minute, Estonia, submitted names.
Largest-Ever Open Access Publishing Initiative To Start At CERN In January 05/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced today that the largest scientific open access initiative ever will begin on 1 January 2014.
Pillay And Berners-Lee: Human Rights Must Always Be At Heart Of World Wide Web 05/12/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay today said at the outset of a meeting with World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee that human rights must always be at the heart of discussions about the Web, as it affects so many aspects of society.
European Commission Launches Consultation On EU Copyright Modernisation 05/12/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Commission today announced the launch of a public consultation on modernisation of European Union copyright rules.
IP-Watch Works To Open TPP Text; USTR Misses Response Deadline 04/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Intellectual Property Watch has been working to make more information public about US government involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement under negotiation with 11 other countries.
Yemen Accedes To WTO; Outcry Over Tough TRIPS Deadline 04/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment At the World Trade Organization Ministerial in Bali, Indonesia today, Yemen was accepted as a new least-developed country member. Its terms for joining included adoption of full intellectual property trade rules by 2016, which more than 160 civil society groups worldwide said is in contravention of last summer’s agreement to extend the period for LDCs to adopt such rules to 2021 or later.