Investigation Finds WIPO Head Repeatedly Misreported His Age 20/02/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By William New Over the past 24 years, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Kamil Idris repeatedly signed official documents showing his birth date to be nine years earlier than it is, and may have moved up the ranks at WIPO based on the error, according to the report of an independent internal WIPO investigation. […]
WIPO Development Meeting Will Base Talks On Chair’s Text 20/02/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen This week’s meeting on a World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda started on a positive note, with member states agreeing to base negotiations on a text prepared for the meeting by the WIPO General Assembly chair, according to participants. This means that the content of the meeting, rather than process, […]
Abrupt Departure Of South Centre IP Expert Raises Questions 16/02/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A key member of the international intellectual property community has been asked to leave his position without warning, prompting questions about the terms of his departure, according to sources. Sisule Musungu, a recognised IP expert who has bolstered the IP programme at the intergovernmental South Centre, was asked to leave on 15 […]
February Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Now Available 15/02/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter features the most important news on international IP policymaking, the latest on who is coming and going in the IP community at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Geneva missions, regional and national IP offices, industry and non-governmental organisations, plus News Briefs on reports and events that do not […]
TRIPS Meeting: Boost To IP Issues As Part Of Resumed Trade Talks, US Submits Enforcement Proposal 14/02/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Members of a 13 February World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting on intellectual property rights, signalled that consultations on IP issues will be stepped up in the coming weeks as part of the overall revival in global trade talks, according to participants. Also at the meeting, the United States presented a […]
European Collecting Societies Under Fire From Cable Operators 09/02/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch AMSTERDAM – The current scheme for clearing broadcast retransmission rights harms cable operators and should be revamped, speakers said at this week’s Cable Europe 07 conference in Amsterdam. An alternative to collective rights management organisations (CRMs) – central licensing or all-rights-included packages – could give the cable industry […]
International Patent Filings At Record High; Rapid Asian Growth 07/02/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A record number of applications for international patents were filed in 2006, and Asian economies are leading the rapid growth, officials from the World Intellectual Property Organization said on 7 February. “There is still growth in the [patent] system, quite healthy growth indeed,” Gurry told a press briefing at the United Nations. […]
Film’s IP Jewel In Peril, US Motion Picture Association Panelists Say 07/02/2007 by John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By John T. Aquino for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – That the US movie industry’s intellectual property is essential for the economic well-being of the industry and the nation was one of two major themes in the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) all-day 6 February symposium, “The Business of Show Business” in Washington, […]
USPTO 2008 Budget Would Maintain Global IP Protection Efforts 06/02/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The proposed fiscal year 2008 budget for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) would maintain agency efforts to increase international protection and enforcement of US patents and trademarks, according to a copy of the budget proposal and a senior official. In its overall budget proposal issued on 5 February, the […]
Debate On Malaria And Trade Flexibilities At WHO 06/02/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A recent top-level meeting of the World Health Organization discussed member states’ rights to address malaria using flexibilities in international trade and intellectual property law. But there was strong disagreement as to how far this language should go, according to sources. At the 22-30 January WHO Executive Board meeting, some […]