WIPO HR Report Shows Effort At Geographical Diversity, Gender Balance 16/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has fewer staff overall but more senior staff, according to an annual report on human resources at the United Nations agency. In addition, while efforts at WIPO are continuing to expand geographical diversity among staff, the number of countries represented fell last year. Western Europe provides half of all staff. Meanwhile, women make up about a quarter of senior posts.
WIPO Continues Honing Its Audit And Oversight Functions 15/09/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The UN World Intellectual Property Organization has been working in recent years to improve its audit and oversight functions under the watchful eye of its member states. On the opening day of its meeting this week, the influential Program and Budget Committee (PBC) took several actions to advance the process, with some key positions in flux.
Switzerland Backs Renovation Of UN Offices In Geneva 14/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The government of Switzerland has decided to give a CHF 400 million interest-free loan toward renovation of the Palais des Nations, the United Nations headquarters in Europe. The CHF 837 million project is expected to begin in 2017 and be completed in 2023, the UN said.
Polish Parliament Moves Toward Amending IP Law, Patent Registration Procedures 14/09/2015 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment WARSAW — The Polish Parliament has drafted an amended industrial property law which is expected to facilitate the procedure for registering trademarks and reduce related costs, as well as introduce a number of other modifications to the existing regulations.
Assange, Manning, Snowden At The Door Of The UN In Geneva 14/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Place des Nations, home to the United Nations in Geneva, is adorned with a temporary exhibition this week. The work of Italian artist Davide Dormino representing Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden was inaugurated this morning.
Subscriber Update: Workplan For WIPO Program And Budget Committee 14/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The tentative workplan for this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee (PBC) has been circulated. The PBC is meeting from 14-18 September. Documents are available here. The tentative plan for addressing the agenda items is available here [pdf]. This is subject to change during the week. WIPO members have already adopted the […]
US Proposes Suspension Of WIPO TK Committee; Switzerland And Others Counter 11/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The normative work at the World Intellectual Property Organization on the protection of traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and folklore was suspended last year. In the lead-up to the 2015 WIPO General Assembly, the United States has proposed to discontinue the mandate of the committee working on the subject. The US suggests replacing the committee with seminars, studies, and an experts working group. Meanwhile, Switzerland, on behalf of a group of countries, has proposed that the committee’s work resume. And still other countries may be seeking to make the committee a permanent feature at the UN agency.
European Commission Supports Indefinite Exemption Of LDCs From IPRs On Pharmaceuticals 10/09/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments In a communication today, the European Commission said it agrees to support a least developed country request at the World Trade Organization to prolong indefinitely a current exemption on the enforcement of IP on pharmaceutical products. Now the decision moves to the EU member states.
WIPO To Tackle Lisbon Financing, External Offices, Development Expenditures 10/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee meets next week to address several substantive issues. Among the issues to be discussed is the financing of the system of protection of geographical indications, which has been called into question by non-members of the system. Other topics are external WIPO offices, and if the WIPO coordination office in New York should be closed, what constitutes development expenditures in the budget, and how to implement a recommendation by the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit.
European Trademark Office Documents Steep Cost Of Counterfeits In Sport Industry 10/09/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new study released by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), the European trademark office, measured the cost of intellectual property infringement in sport goods. According to the study, counterfeit in sport goods in the European Union causes a loss of revenue of some €500 million annually.