Late-Night Breakdown On Traditional Knowledge At WIPO; Future Unclear 06/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on the protection of indigenous knowledge, expressions and genetic resources failed to reach consensus on future work Friday, putting the future of the committee in the hands of the WIPO General Assemblies in September.
WIPO Members Seek Deal To Negotiate On Traditional Knowledge Protection 03/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members this week are intensively working toward agreement on a proposal to start negotiations for a tool to better protect traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and traditional cultural expressions, after nearly a decade of talking about the subject.
Tribes To WIPO — Long-Term Protection For Traditional Knowledge Needed 02/07/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Indigenous people and governments like the United States’ may be able to help each other, especially when it comes to protecting traditional knowledge while also using it combat global crises like climate change, says Terry Williams of the Tulalip Tribes. But additional protection for traditional knowledge is needed.
Global Legislative Reform Could Unlock Benefits Of GIs, Advocates Say 01/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment TERUEL, SPAIN – Geographical indications (GIs) are in the interest of both producers and consumers as they provide a tool for sustainable economic growth and offer a guarantee of quality, concluded a high-level meeting of GI proponents last week. However, with shortcomings in the international framework and a lack of consensus on GIs, countries have been trying to find legal ways to address the issue.
WIPO Work Likely To Continue On Traditional Knowledge, But How? 30/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An intergovernmental committee considering ways to protect kinds of knowledge that predate – and may not fit into – the current intellectual property system picked up this week after a chaotic round of negotiations failed to make any progress at the last meeting. Meanwhile, some indigenous groups, in whose traditions rest much of this knowledge, continue a push for stronger representation at the committee.
Santa Cruz To Head Chilean IP Office; Kappos Named USPTO Director 19/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New Leave a Comment A well-liked and influential IP policymaker in Geneva will head Chile’s national IP office, a US lawyer responsible for perhaps the world’s biggest industry patent portfolio will head the US IP office, and a fixture in the Geneva international trade negotiating and lobbying community is heading home to Canada.
WIPO Works Out Plans For Staff Separations, Financial Disclosure 19/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After months of private consultations, it was no surprise that the World Intellectual Property Organization Coordination Committee – the 83-member executive body – easily approved the director general’s new cabinet this week, albeit with a few notes for the future. And a previously prepared plan for financial disclosure by upper staff also sailed through. But the bulk of discussions over the intense two-day meeting were on details of a proposal by the director general to encourage a reduction in staff in the face of the global economic crisis, which members approved after long consideration and some modifications.
WIPO Appoints New Top Officials, Readies Policies On Conflicts Of Interest, Staff Cuts 15/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s executive body on Monday approved a set of seven most senior officials at the organisation to join the director general late this year. Monday’s Coordination Committee meeting also will address new policies on financial disclosure and conflicts of interest among top WIPO officials, and voluntary staff departures in the face of smaller budgets.
Copyright Holders Acknowledge Losing Battle For Public Consciousness At World Copyright Summit 11/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 34 Comments WASHINGTON, DC – Copyright holders on Wednesday acknowledged they have done a poor job of countering the “anti-copyright” lobby and demonstrating the creative community’s value to the world.
New Top Level Internet Domains – To Be Or Not To Be? 06/06/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Now even trademark owners and large businesses do not really agree on the planned extension of the internet domain name system to include hundreds of new top-level domains (TLDs) like .com.