Could The WIPO General Assembly Reject Francis Gurry’s Nomination? 07/05/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments Tomorrow, World Intellectual Property Organization members decide whether to re-elect Francis Gurry as director general for another six years. The decision was complicated in recent weeks by detailed allegations of wrongdoing by Gurry put forward by Gurry’s deputy, raising questions about member states’ responsibility in investigating such claims.
Digitisation Projects For Orphan And Out-Of-Commerce Works Presented At WIPO 06/05/2014 by Jos̩phine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch and Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Digitisation of copyrighted works is in growing demand, and books are increasingly being made widely available in digital form. Two forms of works however Рorphan and out-of-commerce works Рare in danger of missing out, said speakers at a recent World Intellectual Property Organization event, and there is a risk of forever losing an important part of our cultural heritage embedded in these works. Another panel, meanwhile, illustrated that laws on copyright and licensing also present obstacles to cross-border use of digitised works by universities, libraries and archives.
A Brief Overview Of Current IP Issues At The WTO 05/05/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property issues may not be at the top of the post-Bali negotiations at the World Trade Organization, but there are many IP-related issues going on at the WTO. Below is an overview of some current and possible IP-related issues at the WTO.
At WIPO, Authors, Civil Society Watchful Of Rights For Broadcasters 01/05/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Nongovernmental organisations attending the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting which this week sought to breach differences on what a treaty protecting broadcasters should cover, expressed their views with some unusual coherence.
WIPO Delegates Dig Into Core Issues Of Draft Broadcasting Treaty 30/04/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The first half of this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting was devoted to a potential treaty to protect broadcasters’ rights. Delegations struggled to find common ground on core questions such as the scope of the protection to be granted and specific rights. This was partly attributed to the highly technical nature of the subject and informal consultations were said to have achieved more clarity on issues.
What’s Next For Patent Trolls After US Supreme Court? More Risk, For Sure 30/04/2014 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Supreme Court yesterday issued two rulings that were bad news for patent assertion entities, or “patent trolls”. Thanks to these decisions, trolls and other patentees could be on the hook for millions in fees whenever they bring frivolous patent infringement suits.
Fordham IP Event A Firehose Of Current IP Legal, Policy Debates 28/04/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – The annual Fordham Law School IP Law and Policy Conference held last week offered an intensive two days of in-depth legal issues in intellectual property, with a mix of perspectives from representatives of intergovernmental organisations, governments, courts, industry, and a smattering of public interest advocates.
Antigua Questions Efficacy Of WTO Dispute System Over IP-Related Case 26/04/2014 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Can the World Trade Organization’s smallest members use the dispute settlement system effectively? That is a question that seemed to be suggested by the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda at a WTO Dispute Settlement Body meeting yesterday, in an intellectual property-related case involving a United States gambling ban.
WTO To Consider Five Australia Plain Packaging Disputes Under One Panel 26/04/2014 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments The World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body yesterday agreed to establish two more panels in a dispute against Australia’s plain packaging for tobacco products, bringing the total to five. And it was agreed that a single panel will be appointed to study the five complaints.
US, Japan Agree To “Inject New Momentum” Into TPP Talks 25/04/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Japan and the United States today announced their renewed commitment to an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The statement from the bilateral leaders’ meeting followed reports that bilateral talks toward the TPP were stalling. The White House statement reads: “The United States and Japan also coordinate closely in multilateral financial and economic fora to advance […]