Swift Start On WIPO General Assembly Agenda But Sticky Issues Kept For Later 26/09/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Agenda items appeared to move swiftly in the first days of this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization annual assembly, but tricky issues are being left for later and actively discussed in informal consultations. Examples of ongoing discussions are the programme and budget discussion, governance of the organisation, and the definition of development expenditures under the budget.
WIPO Approves 15 New Observers, Including DNDi, COHRED; Pirate Parties Rejected 25/09/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Member governments of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization today approved 15 new observers to the organisation, including three international organisations, and a range of nongovernmental organisations such as two significant public health-oriented groups. But two groups were rejected, including the high-profile Pirate Parties International. Separately, the member governments of the important WIPO Program and Budget Committee were also announced today.
Innovators Take Centre Stage At WIPO Members’ Annual Assembly 25/09/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In the context of a parallel event to the World Intellectual Property Organization annual General Assemblies, innovators from developed and developing countries shared their thoughts on how to foster a creative environment that encourages ground-breaking innovations.
Urgent Need To Shift Away From Industrial Agriculture, Says UN Agency 25/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A recent report by a United Nations agency calls for an urgent shift of paradigm in agricultural development.
Brazilian President Warns US On Surveillance, Calls For UN Reform 25/09/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Brazilian President Dilma Roussef yesterday sent a stern warning to the United States over ongoing revelations of state espionage during the opening of the 68th United Nations General Assembly in New York and at the same time called for a multilateral framework for internet governance.
UN Office of Human Rights Commissioner Seminar On Right To Enjoy Benefits Of Scientific Progress 24/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will hold a seminar on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications in Geneva next week.
Civil Society Groups Launch Human Rights Principles Related To Mass Surveillance 21/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A coalition of civil society organisations yesterday officially launched a set of 13 principles on the application of human rights to communication surveillance during a side event at the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Negotiators, Stakeholders Tell Tale Of WIPO Marrakesh Treaty Negotiation, Look To Implementation 20/09/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Several negotiators and other stakeholders participating in last June’s successful negotiation of an international treaty to ease access to reading material for blind and visually impaired people recently gathered in Washington, DC to look back on the remarkable and at-times bitter talks. Months later, not all agree on certain historical details, such as the US position, but all agree it was a significant accomplishment.
Meeting Highlights Use Of Open Data In Science, Health And Sustainable Development 18/09/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At the end of a two-day conference in Switzerland, open knowledge experts emphasised the role of open data in strengthening science findings’ credibility, fostering medical research and enhancing sustainable development.
Motion Picture Association Study Finds Search Engines Complicit In Piracy 18/09/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new study released today by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in the company of members of the United States Congress found that internet search engines play a key role in user access to copyright infringing content online. The copyright industry study will be used to make the case that search engine companies, such as Google, need to take more responsibility in deterring use of unauthorised content without compensation to the rightsholders.