WIPO Patent Committee Moves Quickly Through Agenda; Heavy Lifting To Come 26/02/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After months of delay, the Standing Committee of the Law of Patents (SCP) opened a meeting on 25 February at the World Intellectual Property Organization and will endeavour to advance negotiations on highly contentious issues including quality of patents, patents and health, and exceptions and limitations to patent rights.
Blind Treaty Discussions Could Wander, All Sides Ask For Focus 20/02/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Consensus remains elusive for World Intellectual Property Organization trying to prepare a text for final negotiations on an international instrument facilitating access to books and information to blind people, and some countries are growing concerned.
Closed Discussions At WIPO On Treaty For Blind, As New Text Emerges 19/02/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization working to clean the text of a potential treaty facilitating access to books for visually impaired people produced a new version this morning.
USPTO Finalises Rules For ‘First-Inventor-To-File’ System Switch 13/02/2013 by Kelly Burke for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today published final rules of practice implementing the “first-inventor-to-file” provision of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA). This comes just days after a change in patent fees.
Mediator’s Report On EU Copyright Levies Recommends Major Changes 31/01/2013 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Copies made by end-users for private purposes in the context of a service previously licensed by copyright holders don’t cause harm that should be subject to private copying levies on reproduction devices such as MP3 players, blank DVDs and photocopiers, a European Commission-appointed mediator said in recommendations published on 31 January. António Vitorino suggested major changes to Europe’s copy levy system to align it with the digital world, but said at a press briefing that “there is still some way to go” to bring stakeholder positions together.
WIPO, EPO Leaders At OECD: Adjust The Patent System For The Globalised, Knowledge-Based Society 30/11/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The international intellectual property rights system must urgently make headway toward an easier-to-use, globally agreed upon, inclusive and effective architecture, a high-level panel of IP policy leaders said on 29 November.
EU Patent, Patent Court Could Finally Be Approved In Coming Weeks 20/11/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A new proposal by European Union governments could signal the end of a years-long struggle for a unified European patent and patent court. The compromise, which has the support of the European Commission (EC), appears likely to make it through the European Parliament despite pockets of resistance.
WIPO Director Pleads With Countries To Advance Treaty For Visually Impaired 19/11/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Visually impaired and print-disabled persons have high expectations for the results of this week’s negotiations on copyright exceptions and limitations at the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told the opening of a committee meeting today.
Internet Governance Forum 2012 Opens In Baku 07/11/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Baku, Azerbaijan – Over 100 workshops related to policies and technologies of the internet – including side events, open fora by United Nations and internet governance organisations, and gatherings of the “dynamic coalitions” – are on the agenda of the 7th UN Internet Governance Forum, which started Tuesday in Baku, Azerbaijan.
UPOV Council To Formalise Access To Documents; Civil Society Seeks Greater Participation 29/10/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Members of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) meet this week for their annual Council and a series of preparatory meetings. Meanwhile, civil society keeps pushing for greater participation.