WTO Members Open Negotiations On Green Goods Trade Agreement 08/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of the World Trade Organization today opened negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental technologies or “green goods.”
Divergence On Future Of WIPO TK Committee; US Proposes Work Plan 08/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organisation committee seeking to devise a way to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge from misappropriation is trying this week to refine potential treaty texts and to agree on a recommendation to the upcoming General Assembly. Developing countries are pushing for a final negotiation next year, while the United States proposed a work plan for 2015.
WIPO Copyright Committee In Disarray Again; Development Dimension Questioned 07/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments For the second time this year, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee could not agree on the conclusions of its session or on any recommendation to be made to the September General Assembly on the protection of broadcasting organisations or the establishment of an international regime of exception and limitations for libraries and education.
African Groups Seek To Modify “UPOV 91+” Draft Protocol 03/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A group of African civil society institutions is calling for a revision of the draft protocol on plant variety protection of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation.
WIPO And Caribbean IP, What’s The Point? 30/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Recent months have seen a few interesting intellectual property symposia in the Caribbean, in particular the WIPO–JIPO Regional Conference on IP and creative industries which was held in Jamaica from February 10-12 2014. It is quite interesting that in spite of the intention that it should be regional as indicated in the title of the conference, there seems to have been little participation from the fifteen member countries of Caricom and that most of the sessions focused on Jamaica and its situation, perhaps a natural outcome of the WIPO–JIPO collaboration. Progressive Caribbean intellectuals in the area of intellectual property were also notably absent from the forum, writes Abiola Inniss.
EPO President Battistelli’s Term Extended Amid Staff Concerns 30/06/2014 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The term of European Patent Office (EPO) President Benoît Battistelli has been extended for three years to 30 June 2018. The vote by the European Patent Organisation Administrative Council strongly backed Battistelli’s quality and efficiency reforms, but sparked unhappiness from staff who see the president as a “dictator”.
Author Interview: “Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage” 20/06/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In this interview, Intellectual Property Watch sat down with Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington, DC-based policy think tank, to talk about his book, “Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage,” co-authored with Stephen Ezell. The book addresses US economic strategies and policies, or lack thereof, relating to innovation and technology, in comparison with past and present policies of other nations. It identifies “good” and “bad” national policies, the latter promoting national innovation at the expense of other countries and global efforts for innovation. The authors argue the US is falling behind in the innovation race, and sets out a road map for recovery.
KIPO: Developing The Future, Advancing Appropriate Technology Awareness For Sustainable Development 19/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment From KIPO: Ongoing discussions for sustainable development remain prevalent among developing countries. Many of these economies are on the brink of becoming innovated, with plenty of room for growth and development within their borders. In today’s world of widespread information sharing, a solid understanding of the strategic processes for sustaining developing economies can serve as a launching point for far greater growth. In Seoul, on July 2-3, Korean Intellectual Property Office will host an APEC-KIPO Conference on Appropriate Technology Strategic IP Utilization for Sustainable Development, which will include two days of discussions and keynote presentations on various strategies for fostering economic growth among today’s developing nations.
Imbalances In Global Economy Have Not Improved In 50 Years, Developing Countries Say 18/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment To mark the 50th anniversary of the funding of the Group of 77 developing countries. the group published a declaration reaffirming the needs of developing countries. The group, they said, was established to address imbalances in the global economy which still prevail today.
Providing Equal Public Access To ICTs To Bridge The Digital Divide 18/06/2014 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment While the last decade has been characterised by an explosion in the availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs), in 2014 the digital divide still exists and 4 billion people are not yet connected to the internet, especially those from the developing world. In order to achieve digital inclusion for all, speakers on a recent panel called for support for equal public access to ICTs notably through public libraries and other community centres.