Agricultural Innovation Needed In Africa, With Farmers’ Participation, WTO Panellists Say 26/09/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Farmers’ needs are not addressed by the current intellectual property framework or by innovation, according to panellists at the World Trade Organization Public Forum this week, and farmers should be invited to participate in international negotiations directly impacting their livelihood. Meanwhile, the African continent is seeking a way to address the food security problem, faced with a growing population and dire need to modernise their agriculture, other panellists said.
UN Clears WIPO Shipments To Iran 26/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The United Nations Security Council committee on sanctions has cleared the UN World Intellectual Property Organization of wrongdoing in shipping high-tech equipment to Iran.
UN Sanctions Committee Finds No Violation In WIPO Shipments To North Korea 24/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization did not violate United Nations sanctions on North Korea when it shipped computers and equipment to the country as technical assistance, a UN sanctions committee has found. It did suggest that WIPO should have consulted the committee before making the shipments, but accepted WIPO’s plan for review and consultation in the future.
A Look At Who’s Who In Geneva IP Policymaking And Beyond 24/09/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Doesn’t it always seem like as soon as you know who covers what at the permanent missions in Geneva, terms end, new assignments begin and you’re left exchanging business cards again? Well, we have it sorted with a substantial (but non-exhaustive) list of delegates responsible for IP issues this year in the world’s centre of diplomacy. Additionally, you’ll find the latest IP people news across national and regional governments, nonprofit organisations, and the private sector.
US And UN Consider New Limits On Patent Wars 20/09/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The patent wars have produced many casualties around the world. Companies that make and sell smartphones and tablet computers, courts, consumers and the economy – all have suffered, according to many experts. “I couldn’t come up with a worse system” for handling patent disputes, said Erich Spangenberg, chairman of IP Navigation Group, a consultancy. But significant reforms may be on the way, thanks to the US government and a United Nations agency.
ITU’s Line Of Defence On WCIT 18/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The International Telecommunication Union in a press briefing Monday evening tried to dispel what it is describing as “myths and misinformation” about the upcoming World Conference on International Communication (WCIT, December 3-14 in Dubai). “Although there are many important issues before the conference, unfortunately they are not receiving the media attention they deserve due to a paranoia created by claims that ITU wants to take over the internet,” Standardization Bureau Director Malcolm Johnson said.
Public Not Eager To Be Consulted By ITU On Telecom Regs 11/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The global public consultation started by the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on the draft future International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR) has elicited few responses on the consultation website since it opened to comments on 15 August.
Chinese Official Gains Oversight Of UN Internet Governance Forum 10/09/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) has a new boss. Chinese career diplomat Wu Hongbo was nominated earlier this year by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, UNDESA only recently announced on its website.
US Congressional Committee Urged To Invite WIPO Staff Involved In Computer Shipments 23/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has notified the US congressional committee scheduled to hold a briefing tomorrow on WIPO technical assistance shipments of computers and software to North Korea and Iran that the committee should invite staff who have more direct knowledge of those activities.
WIPO’s Gurry Discusses Iran/North Korea; Denies Whistleblower Retaliation 20/07/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry today said the UN agency has cut off its programme of providing computer equipment to countries in order to eliminate doubts in “certain countries” about the programme as it relates to Iran and North Korea, and said he is moving swiftly to establish an independent review. He also said that he would authorise any WIPO official with competence for the programme to testify about it if asked.