WIPO Members Near Agreement To Negotiate Design Law Treaty 28/09/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members this week have discussed the possibility of convening a diplomatic conference – a high-level negotiation – on a treaty on industrial design law. As of yesterday, members appeared near consensus to proceed to a diplomatic conference, according to sources. Meanwhile, the European Union made a presentation on how it is contributing to IP and development.
Big Pharmaceutical Firms Say MDGs Partnerships Are ‘Best-Kept Secret’ 27/09/2013 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – The vast collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry, government and civil society is perhaps “one of the best-kept secrets of our industry,” the head of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) said this week, stressing the need for even more cooperating heading into the post-2015 development agenda at the United Nations.
After Marrakesh, WIPO Copyright Committee Eyes Next Treaties 27/09/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The future work of the World Intellectual Property Organization on copyright policy after the success of the treaty to facilitate access to special format works for visually impaired people last June in Marrakesh is subject to controversy this week at the General Assembly of the Organisation. The committee still has three potential treaties brewing and priorities have to be decided upon. As of last night, the issue remained open, joining a set of others left to informal consultations.
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.
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.
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.
Study: Patent Trolls In US Use Business Method Patents To Target More Firms 20/09/2013 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Patent assertion entities in the United States have done well from software patents. These companies, which some call “patent trolls,” have garnered a clear majority of their revenues by licensing software patents and suing those who refuse to purchase licences. But these companies’ reliance on software patents may be coming to an end. In recent years, these companies are increasingly exploiting business method patents, and by doing so are targeting a much larger range of businesses, according to a recently released study.
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.
Experts Chart How To Take Open Knowledge Success To Next Level 18/09/2013 by Alessandro Marongiu for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The process of opening up data from the public and private sectors has achieved relevant success in recent years, but many challenges are still to be overcome to make data really accessible and usable by the public. These were the main ideas that emerged from a meeting of open knowledge experts in Geneva yesterday.
Patent Troll Nemesis Files For Review Of Troublesome ‘799 Patent 18/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment On the anniversary of the patent reform legislation in the United States, a US service that uses patent pools to help companies fight litigation by patent assertion entities (PAEs or patent trolls) today (17 September) announced an inter-partes review of a patent used widely in litigation by a leading PAE.