Nagoya Protocol Halfway To Required Number Of Accessions 04/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment According to the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, five new ratifications have brought the 2010 treaty on the protection of genetic resources closer to ratification.
WIPO Looks At Measuring Innovation; ITIF Sees Need For Policy Shift 04/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The innovative capacities of countries cannot be measured with a simplistic matrix, taking only into account the number of patents or the research and development expenditures, said a World Intellectual Property Organization official. Meanwhile, WIPO’s views were buttressed by an expert from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
WIPO Annual Assembly Breaks Down; Extraordinary Meeting Eyed For December 03/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments At the end of an intensive 10-day meeting, World Intellectual Property Organization member states were unable to agree on the UN agency’s program and budget for the 2014-2015 biennium, leading to suspension of the meeting at about midnight on the last night. An extraordinary meeting was called for December to finish the work before the end of the current biennium on 31 December.
WHO Group To Discuss Plan For Industry Use Of Pandemic Flu Viruses 02/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A closed-door working group under the World Health Organization will meet next week to continue working out details of a plan for companies to pay for the right to use influenza virus strains to potentially develop patented treatments.
WIPO Members Get Stopgap Deal On IP And Development, Others Down To The Wire 02/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The membership of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization in its celebrated annual General Assembly have spent most of the last few days in informal small groups behind closed doors, trying to reach agreements on issues that seem simple but for them, go to the heart of the organisation’s functioning.
WIPO “Theatre”: Supporters, Critics Of WIPO Administration Face Off 01/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The inner workings of United Nations agencies can be very complicated, with clashes of cultures and management styles and any number of pressures. The case of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization appears to be a particular example in this respect.
WTO Public Forum On Innovation Opens With Hope For New Ideas 01/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Innovation holds a centre stage at the World Trade Organization Public Forum this year. During the opening plenary today, the WTO director general said the organisation needs updating. And some participants said international trade is at a crossroads, with much to gain or lose.
What The US Government Shutdown Means For Patents 01/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States Congress’ failure to pass a budget for the government by the end of the fiscal year on 30 September, which led to today’s shutdown, will have a variety of effects on the patent process, according to a new article.
Plurilateral Agreement On Geographical Indications On Its Way At WIPO 01/10/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Last week, WIPO members that are parties to a special agreement on the protection of appellations of origin agreed to convene a diplomatic conference in 2015 to adopt a revision of the 1958 Lisbon Agreement. The revised treaty would extend to all geographical indications the protection already granted to appellations of origin. The decision to convene a diplomatic conference, however, stirred up controversy with a number of WIPO members that are not parties to the treaty.
EU Hearing: War Against Whistleblowers, War Against Journalists, War Against Democracy 01/10/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Former US National Security Agency and British MI5 employees urged the European Parliament yesterday to push for better better democratic oversight over secret services and better protection of whistleblowers. Nothing less than the sovereignty of states and of citizens are at stake, warned former NSA official Thomas Drake.