Nigerian Copyright Reform Becomes Less Transparent As Comments Roll In 25/01/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Nigerian government has continued to make progress toward new copyright legislation in recent weeks, but efforts appear to have become less transparent, as the results of a public comment period that ended weeks ago have not been made available and the draft copy of the bill is no longer available on the Copyright Commission website.
WIPO Training In Africa: Brand SMEs’ Products To Exploit Innovation And Commercialization 15/01/2016 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments KAMPALA, Uganda – Small and medium enterprises in Uganda should brand their products with geographical indications and collective marks to gain competitive advantage. This was one of the messages during a recent World Intellectual Property Organization event entitled, Advanced Training of Trainers Program on Effective Intellectual Property Asset Management by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, (SMEs). The training took place in Kampala, Uganda on 8-10 December.
Kenya Takes Steps To Enhance Intellectual Property Awareness 12/01/2016 by Justus Wanzala for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAIROBI, Kenya — The government of Kenya has inaugurated a board to steer the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KNIA), which is charged with increasing awareness of intellectual property rights among investors, universities, research institutions and the general public. The move comes as experts have offered gloomy views on the IP situation in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa.
TPP, India Most-Read IP-Watch Stories Of 2015 11/01/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The most-read stories of 2015 on the Intellectual Property Watch website fairly reflected the trends of the year, with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, India’s evolving intellectual property rights policies, European Patent Office patents on conventional vegetables, biologics, 3D printing, and some pop culture issues leading the way. In the coming weeks, IP-Watch will review in-depth what’s in store for 2016, already underway. But for now, let’s take a look at last year’s highlights.
Zimbabwe Plans Open Access Policy, Part Of Efforts Across Africa 06/01/2016 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Zimbabwe has kicked off a new project to support adoption of research data management and sharing services among government, universities and research institutions as part of its plans to pave the way for a nationwide open access mandate. Meanwhile, similar efforts are appearing across Africa.
Ahead Of WTO Summit In Nairobi, Kenya’s IP Laws Come Under Scrutiny 10/12/2015 by Fredrick Nzwili for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAIROBI, Kenya- Ahead of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Summit in Nairobi, Kenya’s intellectual property laws are coming under scrutiny over what experts see as their inability to protect economic projects and inspire innovations.
Law Boosts Awareness, Patents From Research Institutions In South Africa 04/12/2015 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A law to regulate intellectual property derived from research and development conducted using public funds has boosted the number of patent applications filed and granted by universities and research institutions in the past five years.
ARIPO Continues To Build Member State IP Capacities 02/12/2015 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) recently held two top organ meetings in Lusaka, Zambia, to debate the organisation’s strategic plan for 2016-2020.
At WIPO, Former South Africa Judge Calls For Balance In IP Rights Enforcement 24/11/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Alongside this week’s meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement, an event featured a former South African Supreme Court judge presenting his views on IP enforcement. There is a need to go for the “big fish,” he said, and to bring balance in sanctions and enforcement procedures. He also described courts as finding that exceptions to copyright are a public right.
Nigeria Prepares To Revamp Its Copyright System For The Digital Age 22/11/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Draft rules updating Nigeria’s copyright law regime are expected to be submitted to Parliament in 2016, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Regulatory Department Head Michael Akpan has said. While the provisions have already been thoroughly vetted by stakeholders during consultations, several are likely to be challenged, he told Intellectual Property Watch. [Updated]