WIPO Patent Harmonisation Effort Stalls Until September Assembly 12/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Government negotiators addressing the global harmonisation of patent systems today could not agree on a work programme for a key World Intellectual Property Organization committee, effectively stalling debate on the issue until the end of the year. “It is not yet the time,” said Ron Marchant, chief executive and comptroller general of the United Kingdom […]
Disclosure Of Origin A Hot Topic In WIPO Patent Harmonisation Debate 11/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Nations debating whether to harmonise national patent systems have turned their focus to developing country demands to include requirements that patent filers disclose the origin of genetic material and traditional knowledge. The debate is taking place in a 10-12 April informal meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Patents […]
India Proposes Combined WIPO Meetings On Biodiversity, Patent Harmonisation 10/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment India today floated a suggestion for joint meetings of two key committees at the World Intellectual Property Organization in a move that could change the way patents are addressed. The proposal could elevate biodiversity issues of concern to developing countries to the level of patent issues critical to developed countries. India said that the issue […]
WIPO Patent Committee Cautiously Opens Talks On New Work Programme 10/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) cautiously opened discussion today on the future work programme of the committee responsible for harmonisation of patent laws. The issue is contentious as many WIPO developing country members have previously opposed harmonisation, though the issue continues to appear on the WIPO agenda. Patent harmonisation, under […]
WIPO Completes New Trademark Treaty; Impact Remains To Be Seen 05/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new international trademark law treaty could streamline procedures for global protection of marks of developed and developing countries, but it is unclear what the impact will be on the majority of members of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks updates the 1994 Trademark Law Treaty, to which […]
Interview with Geoffrey Yu, Deputy Director General WIPO 24/03/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the Expert Views column: Intellectual Property Watch sat down recently with Geoffrey Yu, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to discuss the development agenda, technical assistance and relations with non-governmental organisations. Yu is responsible for the economic development sector, which oversees the current negotiations for a WIPO development agenda. INTELLECTUAL […]
Potential WIPO Reform Discussed At Consumer Conference 22/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BRUSSELS – A consumer-led conference on intellectual property touched on a wide range of issues during its second day, from whether the $9 physical production costs of CDs are saved through digital distribution, to what would be an ideal reform of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Antony Taubman, who heads the traditional knowledge division […]
Experts: Intellectual Property Policy Not A Traditional Left-Right Political Issue 21/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – Intellectual property policy may not be divided along left-right political party lines, participants in a consumer-led conference here on the politics and ideology of intellectual property concluded yesterday. On 20 March one of the debates on intellectual property and advocacy centred around software and patents. The two-day event is hosted by the Trans […]
La OMPI prepara borrador para debatir un programa para el desarrollo 16/03/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por William New y Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Los Gobiernos miembros de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) finalizaron la primera de dos largas reuniones propuestas para debatir un programa para el desarrollo. El resultado de la reunión fue un documento que enumera todas las propuestas, clasificadas en distintas categorías. “Este programa para […]
Le Comité de l’OMPI structure ses futurs travaux sur le Plan d’action pour le développement 16/03/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment William New et Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen À l’issue de la première des deux sessions d’une semaine consacrées à l’examen des propositions relatives à un Plan d’action pour le développement, les États membres de l’Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle (OMPI) ont convenu d’un document qui regroupe l’ensemble des propositions par thèmes. « Chacun est […]