WIPO Members Agree On Budget As DG Election Picks Up; Idris Gets Personal 01/04/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization on Monday reached agreement on the delayed organisation budget for 2008-2009, as election campaigns for the next WIPO director general went into full swing. The budget was approved after agreement on a five percent reduction in fees charged by WIPO to process patent […]
WIPO: Cybersquatting Cases Rise To Record Levels 31/03/2008 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Cybersquatting is on the rise, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), which published statistics last week on case filings under its international Internet domain name dispute settlement system. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre in 2007 recorded 2,156 complaints filed under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute […]
Industry Losing Faith In WIPO; Debates US WTO Cases Against China 28/03/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK–The World Intellectual Property Organization is seen as in a state of tumult these days, as the global body searches for a new director general and tries to grapple with issues such as implementing a Development Agenda and further harmonising global patent regimes. And some industry […]
Panel Sees Tension Between IP And Human Rights 20/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Catherine Saez Intellectual property rights are affecting human rights in several areas such as public health, access to knowledge and agriculture, and human rights advocates have a decisive role to play to reverse the trend, according to members of a recent panel discussion on the negative impacts of intellectual property systems. The event organised […]
Tussle Over Participation In India Compulsory Licence Hearing 14/03/2008 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche is expected to appear before the Indian Patent Office on 17 March to assert its right to attend a later meeting that could result in one of its drugs being copied, without its permission, by an Indian generic pharmaceutical company. The hearing is due […]
TRIPS Council: Half Of WTO Membership Backs Biodiversity Amendment 14/03/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara and William New The World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property rights concluded its triennial gathering one day early in a meeting several participants characterised as “routine.” The meeting was marked by further support for an amendment to WTO rules for biodiversity, a lack of enforcement issues, the welcome of Vietnam, and […]
WIPO Copyright Committee Done For Year; Exceptions And Limitations ‘Here To Stay’ 13/03/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee on Wednesday concluded work until next November in a way similar to recent years, with the same chair, European dominance, no agreement, and division over a proposed treaty on broadcasters’ rights. But it also contained the elevation of a proposal to improve exceptions and limitations […]
New Proposal At WIPO For Exceptions and Limitations Agreement; US Unconvinced 11/03/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New Several nations have joined Chile in presenting a new proposal for work on limitations and exceptions to this week’s meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee. The work would include establishing an international agreement on the issue. But the United States told the plenary on Tuesday that it is “not […]
WIPO Copyright Committee Begins New Era With Revised Agenda, Same Chair 11/03/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee on Monday began a new era in the wake of a failed decade of negotiations for a broadcasters’ rights treaty. But it will tackle its new agenda including limitations and exceptions to copyright with the same chairman who guided the broadcasting talks with fervour. Finland’s […]
Complaint Lodged Over EU Parliament’s Exclusive Use Of Microsoft Systems 06/03/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – A formal complaint has been lodged with the European Parliament over how its information technology systems rely almost exclusively on software manufactured by Microsoft. Advocates of open standard software, which is developed on a not-for-profit basis, allege that the Seattle-based giant enjoys an effective monopoly or […]