15 Years Later, Prospects For WTO Information Technology Agreement Examined 15/05/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization this week celebrated 15 years of a tariff-cutting agreement on information technology products, and issued a publication charting the history of the agreement. Industry representatives invited to a symposium joined voices asking that the agreement be expanded, while some called for strategies to incorporate development into technology trade promotion. And a link was made between the agreement and a rise in patents on technology.
World Summit On The Information Society Review Launches 14/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The information and communications technology (ICT) for development community is meeting in Geneva this week for a series of conferences on the 2003-2005 World Summit on the Information Society. Government stakeholders, civil society, and the private sector will evaluate progress towards meeting the goals set at the last WSIS in Tunis in 2005 and establish new common goals looking beyond 2015.
Amid “Korean Wave,” South Korea Opens IP Office In The Philippines 14/05/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Republic of Korea has opened its fourth satellite copyright office, in the Philippines, in a bid to protect its copyrighted works amid the popularity of Korean entertainment in this Southeast Asian nation.
EU Court Of Justice Upholds Limits Of Copyright On Software 14/05/2012 by Nancy Situ for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Court of Justice recently reaffirmed the limits of copyright protection in computer software.
Agreement On Future Work For Development Committee Snatched From Defeat At WIPO 12/05/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In what could be compared to an obstacle course, World Intellectual Property Organization members agreed late at night yesterday on the future work of a committee working on the development dimension of the organisation’s activities.
DNDi Backs WHO ‘Neglected Patients’ R&D Treaty 11/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has released a policy brief in support of the proposed R&D convention to be considered at the upcoming World Health Assembly.
ICANN IP Advisory Group: Whois, Dot-Brands, Contracts Key Sticking Points In New Domains 11/05/2012 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Washington, DC – Wary eyes are on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which on 12 January opened a first window for applications for new generic top level domains (gTLDs), expected to be made public later this month.
Fast By Senior WIPO Official Raises Old Staff Questions At UN Agency 11/05/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A senior official at the World Intellectual Property Organization recently sent an internal letter to WIPO Director General Francis Gurry announcing that he would be undertaking a fast, depriving himself of food during a period of reflection in protest of his treatment as staff after more than two decades there. And while the complaint is a personal one, the official’s letter brings attention to the sometimes uncomfortable strategic realignment taking place at the UN agency.
Swiss Government Postpones ACTA Signature 10/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Switzerland has postponed signature of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) until it has more information from several ongoing processes in Europe, the government said yesterday.
New IFPMA-Backed Report On R&D For Diseases In Developing Countries 10/05/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment With the launch of a new report concerning research and development for diseases predominately afflicting developing countries, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) today convened a panel of public health specialists to discuss the findings.