Twelve More Nations, EU, Sign Nagoya Protocol 24/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Twelve more countries and the European Union have signed the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing of genetic resources.
WIPO Members Advance Draft Texts On Copyright Exceptions, AV Protection 23/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After a week of substantive discussions about potential international instruments on the protection of broadcasting and audiovisual rights, and on providing limitations and exceptions to copyright for visually impaired people, pressure is building at the World Intellectual Property Organization as the end of the negotiating session draws near.
Mexican Senate Urges Rejection Of ACTA 23/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Mexican Senate this week approved a resolution rejecting the secretly negotiated Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, citing absence of inclusion in the negotiations, potential negative impact on internet users’ access to knowledge, freedom of expression and other concerns.
Patent Reform Debate: Live Updates From The US House Of Representatives 22/06/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual Property Watch is providing play-by-play action from today’s floor debate of HR 1249, the bill to reform US patent law which is facing a fight. For IP-Watch Subscribers.
EU’s Kroes Not Amused By ICANN Decision On New TLDs 22/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch European Commission Vice President and Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes is not satisfied with the decision of the ICANN Board in Singapore this week to open up the domain name space for new top-level domains (TLDs) like .eco, .gay or .paris. The Commissioner was “disappointed that the ICANN […]
‘Long Overdue’ US Patent Reform Deal Reached; House Could Vote This Week 22/06/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US lawmakers this evening agreed to a manager’s amendment to the pending patent reform bill. The legislation could come to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote as soon as tomorrow (22 June). The Senate version, S. 23, was passed in March.
ICANN Board Approval Opens Internet To Many New Domains 20/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today approved the Applicant Guidebook for new generic top-level domains, opening the door to potentially hundreds of new internet domains, like .africa, .music, .gay or .nyc.
Common Text Emerges On Copyright Exceptions For The Blind 17/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments A cross-cutting group of major World Intellectual Property Organisation members today produced a “non-paper” on limitations and exceptions to copyright for visually impaired readers at a WIPO meeting on copyright. The group had met in informal consultations for a few months and achieved consensus on the substance this morning, according to sources.
Copyright Vital For Authors, Adaptable For Wide Access, WIPO Panellists Say 17/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Copyright is necessary to allow authors to live from their trade and to guarantee their independence, and exceptions should be decided by authors and publishers, according to panellists on a copyright dialogue held at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week.
Plain Packaging For Tobacco Raises IPR Questions At WTO 16/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments At the last session of the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council, the Dominican Republic challenged an Australian draft law requiring plain packaging for tobacco products as being incompatible with its WTO obligations, eclipsing other agenda items. The TRIPS Council also addressed other regular agenda items such as related to biodiversity and public health, according to sources.