Industry, Researchers Make Case For Patents And Innovation At WTO 09/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Panellists at a side event this week at the World Trade Organization reminded delegates of the view that patents and a strong innovative environment are key to innovation, and in particular to green technology. A Swiss start-up company developing a technology allowing industrial farmers to optimise their use of chemicals and pesticides said it would […]
Special Report: Roundup Of US Copyright Office Review Of US Law 08/06/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States Copyright Office is examining how provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the 1976 Copyright Act are working and whether any changes, legislative or otherwise, are needed. Not surprisingly, there are broad differences of opinion among rights owners, public interest groups, users of copyrighted works and the high-tech community on both questions.
“Mozart 4.0” Program Seeks A Global IP And Innovation Culture 07/06/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Cultural mindset plays a key role in determining how entrepreneurial a region will be and how effectively its intellectual property will be used, Ludovit Garzik, managing director of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development and Innovation Orbit said at an 11 May Oxfirst webinar. The goal is for different cultures to understand how each innovates, leading to global IP, Garzik said.
WIPO Members Agree New Text On IP And Genetic Resources; Move Talks Forward 06/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members negotiating for an instrument to protect against theft of genetic resources last week agreed on a new text with more options on legal terms, effectively moving the talks forward. In this round of talks, the African Group showed signs of moving off its position of revoking patents for violators, while the United States came out strongly against disclosure of origin at the expense of amiable relations with key allies.
Rwanda Releases New Tariff Levels On IP, Signs UPOV 91 Biotech Rules 06/06/2016 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The government of Rwanda has revised the fees and cost to be paid for the registration of different categories of intellectual property rights. The changes mean lower fees for all types of IP rights, and gives more time to oppose registrations. Rwanda also enacted a law on seeds and plant varieties.
US Blindsides Allies Over Patents And Genetic Resources At WIPO 05/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States may have hoped for a different result last week when it alienated allies at the World Intellectual Property Organization by issuing a rash criticism of Switzerland’s policy on patents and genetic resources and threatened to follow with more.
Sustainable Resources & Green Tech, E-Commerce On TRIPS Council Agenda 03/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The agenda of next week’s meeting of the World Trade Organization council on intellectual property will include an item on sustainable resources and environmental technology, and a proposed discussion on electronic commerce. These are in addition to the usual list of agenda items.
At WIPO, US Plays Hypotheticals With Swiss Law On Disclosure Of Genetic Resources In Patents 02/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With discussions in full swing at the World Intellectual Property Organization on how to protect genetic resources in intellectual property rights, and in particular whether the disclosure of the source of genetic resources should be mandatory in patent applications, the United States has tabled a document hypothetically applying the mandatory disclosure legislation of Switzerland to a US patent.
New Potential Treaty Text In WIPO Committee On Genetic Resources 01/06/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments A revised version of what is hoped by a large number of World Intellectual Property Organization members to become a treaty protecting genetic resources from misappropriation was issued today.
European Commission Eyes Update Of EU Standards-Setting Policy 01/06/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment As standardisation increasingly takes place at the global level, Europe needs a speedier, more streamlined way to set the technical specifications that define requirements for products, production processes, services and test methods, the European Commission said today. As part of its single market strategy, the EC announced plans for a joint initiative on standardisation (JIS), guidance to boost the development of European standards, and an annual reporting system among EU institutions on how the standardisation policy is working and contributing to competitiveness, jobs and growth.