WIPO Copyright Committee Tackles Visually Impaired Access, Other Exceptions 08/11/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) is meeting this week in an attempt to advance proposals to improve global access to copyrighted works, following a disappointing summer meeting that ended without agreement. This week’s meeting also includes renewed discussions of proposed treaties on broadcasters’ rights and rights over audiovisual performances.
Dawn Of WIPO Industrial Design Treaty Talks; Internet As Trademark Danger Zone 07/11/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members this week took early steps toward the possibility of a treaty to facilitate the registration of industrial designs, and urged WIPO to continue addressing potential new challenges to trademarks from the impending expansion of domain names on the internet.
Lessig Calls For WIPO To Lead Overhaul Of Copyright System 05/11/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 13 Comments Influential copyright scholar Larry Lessig yesterday issued a call for the World Intellectual Property Organization to lead an overhaul of the copyright system which he says does not and never will make sense in the digital environment.
First Committee On WIPO Standards Ends In Vote For Suspension 01/11/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Disagreement over the mandate of a newly-formed World Intellectual Property Organization committee resulted in a vote to suspend the meeting with no conclusions last Friday evening.
Change Coming To Quiet UN Plant Variety Protection Agency? 26/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two new civil society observers were admitted last week to the Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) though whether that represents a cultural shift for the organisation or simply a procedure that has now been followed depends on who you ask. Meanwhile, a new vice secretary general prepared to take over for the first time in nearly 10 years.
IP And Competition Policy Can Help Each Other, Officials Say 26/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property and competition policy are sometimes seen as counterweights, but an efficient patent system and effective competition policy are ultimately complementary in nature, speakers said at an event today at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
WIPO Returns To Substantive Patent Law Talks After 5 Years, With Balance 16/10/2010 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization today agreed on the first work programme for the committee on patent law in nearly five years. The delicate accord, reached after a long week of mostly closed negotiations, was quickly hailed by some as reflecting a new reality for the international patent system with stronger recognition of emerging economies’ interests.
WIPO Patent Committee Chair’s Text Shows Possible Future Work 15/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The chair of World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) today circulated a text reflecting possible elements of future work for the committee. The text, which is now the subject of informal discussions, includes key parts of proposals put forward earlier in the week.
WIPO Members Search For A Negotiating Agenda On Patent Law 14/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Patents aren’t what they used to be at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Discussions to come up with a work plan at the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) this week and in recent meetings point to the possibility of a sea change in thinking over what matters about intellectual property policy and law.
Sign Up For Email Alerts Of IP-Watch Briefs! 13/10/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Now available for Intellectual Property Watch readers: Email alerts for the IP-Watch Burble microblog, our breaking news briefs. A free service available to all, just sign up for email alerts here if you don’t already receive them. If you already receive IP-Watch email alerts, just scroll to the bottom of any email you receive (like this one) and click the link under “If you would like to modify the settings of your subscription,” which takes you to your individualised settings. Then add Burble to your categories. And of course you can also follow us on Twitter or by RSS feed, see www.ip-watch.org. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ip-watch.ch.