Lisbon GI Revision A Hot Topic As Members Prepare For Treaty Talks 26/09/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A proposed amendment to the Lisbon Agreement protecting appellations of origin at the World Intellectual Property Organization is the object of heated discussions between proponents of geographical indications and countries favouring other systems such as trademarks to protect such intellectual property titles. A side event to this week’s WIPO General Assemblies gathered GI proponents to ponder the future of the agreement.
New Proposal To Keep Indigenous Peoples On WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee 26/08/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A group of countries has submitted a new proposal to the upcoming meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization budget committee to allow the continued participation of indigenous peoples representatives in WIPO’s committee on traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
EU Commission Consultation On Protection Of Non-Agricultural GIs 25/08/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Commission recently launched a public consultation on the protection of geographical indications for non-agricultural products.
The Term ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Key For Identity, Rights, UN Experts Say 22/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United Nations experts are underlining the importance of using the term “indigenous peoples” in a UN draft set of sustainable development goals from which they say the term has been deleted.
With 51 Ratifications, Nagoya Protocol To Enter Into Force In October 15/07/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources will enter into force on 12 October, following the ratification of 12 more countries last week.
360 Applicants Bid For Top WIPO Posts; Selection Process Underway 15/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization is currently engaged in an unprecedented process for the selection of the new top management team to serve under recently re-elected Director General Francis Gurry. The open call for applicants resulted in some 360 applications from around the world, including from the upper echelons of WIPO itself, according to sources.
WIPO Meeting On TK Protection Ends With No Agreement, Draft Texts Heading To Assembly 09/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The last World Intellectual Property Organization meeting before the annual General Assembly in September ended today, meeting the same fate as many others this year. The committee addressing the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge could not agree on recommendations to be transmitted to the Assembly, leaving it to the full membership in September.
Indigenous Peoples: WIPO Should Reflect Changing World Order 09/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge routinely holds an indigenous panel during the first day of its meeting. This week, several of the panellists called for delegates working on potential treaties to consider the particular status of indigenous peoples.
IPW Subscriber Update: New Draft Text On Future Work Of WIPO TK Committee 09/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new draft text on future work was issued this morning by a facilitator to the discussions of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee seeking to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
Do WIPO Delegations Want Indigenous Peoples’ Participation? 08/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The participation of representatives of indigenous and local communities in the World Intellectual Property Organization committee working to prevent misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge is in jeopardy due to the thorough depletion of the voluntary fund allowing such participation. Some governments are acting to save the committee’s credibility.