Bark But No Bite? Antigua Talks Tough On WTO Gambling Case, But No TRIPS Remedy 18/06/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda again had strong words today for the United States’ seeming incalcitrant refusal to change its law or pay up in a World Trade Organization case it lost for blocking the island’s online gambling business. But Antigua stopped short of any direct threat to use the weapon it was given by the WTO dispute settlement panel: to stop protecting US intellectual property rights in the amount of the damages.
Imbalances In Global Economy Have Not Improved In 50 Years, Developing Countries Say 18/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment To mark the 50th anniversary of the funding of the Group of 77 developing countries. the group published a declaration reaffirming the needs of developing countries. The group, they said, was established to address imbalances in the global economy which still prevail today.
Providing Equal Public Access To ICTs To Bridge The Digital Divide 18/06/2014 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment While the last decade has been characterised by an explosion in the availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs), in 2014 the digital divide still exists and 4 billion people are not yet connected to the internet, especially those from the developing world. In order to achieve digital inclusion for all, speakers on a recent panel called for support for equal public access to ICTs notably through public libraries and other community centres.
Infojustice: More Than 70 Organisations Demand Finalised South Africa IP Policy 18/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Over 70 organisations globally have called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to urgently finalise South Africa’s National Intellectual Property (IP) Policy in an open letter delivered yesterday.
New Corporate Governance Model From UNEP-Industry Partnership 17/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A corporate sustainability-centred model of governance is the subject of a new report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative, a UN-private sector initiative.
What Questions Did The WSIS+10 High Level Event Answer? 16/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Consultant Richard Hill writes: The WSIS+10 High Level Event (HLE) last week unanimously adopted two documents (a Statement and a Vision), consisting of some 37 pages of text. What can be learned from this event regarding the evolution of the Internet and its governance? Some of what can be learned confirms what was learned from Netmundial. This short note covers only such items (that is, those that overlap Netmundial), and it may not cover all such items. The HLE output contains many items that were not covered by Netmundial, and Netmundial covered some items that were not covered by the HLE (in particular mass surveillance and the transition of the IANA function).
States’ Role In Multistakeholder Internet Governance Evolving 16/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As the global internet governance landscape started without states in the foreground, the multistakeholder model and the participation of governments in it is still evolving, a recent panel of experts said.
WIPO Rediscovers Consensus As Delegates Agree PCT Amendments 14/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A World Intellectual Property Organization working group considering amendments to the Patent Cooperation Treaty ended a weeklong meeting in relative agreement, in contrast to recent WIPO meetings. Agreement was found on delicate issues such as reduction of fees or procedures for appointing international authorities. Integration of the Patent Prosecution Highway, however, was not accepted.
New Paper On Common Issues In WIPO TK, Genetic Resources Talks 13/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The chair of the World Intellectual Property Organization traditional knowledge and genetic resources committee has circulated a draft paper on common issues in the negotiations, in hopes of bringing parties closer together ahead of the next committee meeting in July.
WIPO Report Indicates Unprecedented Rise In Renewable Energy Tech Innovation 13/06/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new report commissioned by the World Intellectual Property Organization shows a huge increase in patent filings related to renewable energy technologies relative averages. The patent landscape in this area indicates that innovation is taking place across a greater geographical scope, and is shifting towards the global East. The report, presented this week, opens up questions for policymakers, and for further research regarding drivers for these trends and other measures of innovation.