African Regional Plant Variety Protection Draft Legislation Raises Protest 05/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A draft protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants proposed by an inter-governmental African regional economic community is provoking the ire of civil society concerned about the potential impact of the protocol on small farmers, and the lack of consultation of farmers.
Linguistic Diversity Essential For Innovation, Development, Roundtable Speakers Say 04/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Multilingualism not only expands cultural horizons but also provides a tool for innovation, speakers gathered at an international roundtable yesterday said. However, language uniformity is a tempting road taken by many – often for cost-related reasons – while multilingualism should be promoted as a factor in development, they said.
WIPO Opens Fifth External Office, In Moscow 02/04/2013 by Daria Kim for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On 23 March, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree establishing a World Intellectual Property Organization office in Moscow.
GI Experts Speak Of Value But Concede International Accord Hard To Reach 01/04/2013 by Sinfah Tunsarawuth for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Bangkok, Thailand – Experts on geographical indications ended two days of discussions here by acknowledging greatly the benefit of GIs to national economies and cultural heritages, but conceded that it has been tough to reach a multilateral agreement on the protection of this type of intellectual property. [Updated]
WIPO Reports Another Record In Cybersquatting Disputes In 2012 28/03/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It was another record year in 2012 for cybersquatting cases filed at the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Centre. In addition, WIPO announced results of a survey that show that its mediation services could benefit parties in technology-related disputes.
Royalty-Setting For Standard Essential Patents Might Be Balanced By Prospect Of Injunction, Speakers Say 28/03/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Threats of injunction in cases of infringement of essential standard patents, which have raised concerns in Europe and the United States as being leverage for patent holders to get higher royalties, might in fact be a way to maintain an equilibrium in royalty-setting, according to speakers at a World Intellectual Property Organization event.
At US-Led Workshop, African Stakeholders Call For “Home Grown IP Agenda” 20/03/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – In a re-cast, smaller version of the event that was planned and postponed last year, the US State Department’s workshop on IP utilisation and protection in Africa opened yesterday. It is co-organised by the African Intellectual Property Group (AIPG), a new pro-IP association of stakeholders across the continent, which says it’s time for Africa find its own voice on intellectual property issues.
WIPO Reports Robust Growth In Demand For IP Rights In 2012 19/03/2013 by Tiphaine Nunzia Caulier for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In a press briefing at the United Nations today, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry described what he qualified as a robust growth in applications for patents, designs and trademarks despite the economic climate.
African Ministers Focus On IP Role In Innovation For Development; Less On Flexibilities 18/03/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – The role of innovation as a driving force of social, economic, and environmental development is one of the central themes in post-2015 global development agenda discussions. In a ministerial-level meeting with guidance from the World Intellectual Property Organization last week, African policymakers outlined what they would need to foster innovation at home. Among a list of recommendations, ministers widely agreed on the importance of developing national intellectual property frameworks, capacity building, and raising awareness through education. Encouraging the use of IP flexibilities, however, was largely left out of the conversation.
Meetings On IP And Innovation In Africa Open In Tanzania 12/03/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments A ministerial-level meeting organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Japan Patent Office, and the Tanzanian government began today in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The two-day conference, which focuses on how IP can stimulate innovation and development, will be followed by a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting and a US Department of Commerce Commercial Law and Development Program (CLDP)-led workshop on IP use and protection at the same venue.