Mismatch On Traditional Knowledge Treaty Text, Negotiating Sessions At WIPO 08/12/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Folklore (IGC) at the World Intellectual Property Organization began its first meeting under a newly-minted mandate yesterday, though it seems matters of procedure may again take up much of the space for discussions, according to several delegates.
Hotel Chain Fails In Effort To Use Trademark To Block Workers’ Union 08/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A North American hotel chain recently lost a case at the World Intellectual Property Organization against a critical workers’ union website it tried to silence through a trademark claim. A panellist under the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ruled on 2 December that the union had a right to keep a website critical of the […]
USPTO Will Speed Reviews Of Green Tech Patents 07/12/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office today announced a pilot programme to accelerate examination of some environmental technology patent applications to speed commercialisation. The US-oriented initiative was announced by US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who oversees the patent office, as an entry to the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen. The Obama administration has […]
Future Of Biotechnology And IP: Research Exemptions, Ceilings, Trade Secrets 07/12/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Patenting of biotechnologies is a growing trend and is increasingly raising questions about legal and ethical implications and a lack of harmonisation, according to speakers at a recent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) symposium.
WHO Neglected Disease R&D Finance Group Nears Recommendations 07/12/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An expert working group on innovative financing for research and development, meeting under the auspices of the World Health Organization, held its third and final meeting last week, with a report from the secretive group expected to be released to member states in the coming weeks, according to sources.
Microsoft Drafts Consumers In Fight Against Software Piracy: Carrot And Stick 06/12/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment US software giant Microsoft said Thursday that users globally have started to join the fight against software piracy by sending in over 150,000 reports about problems with fake Microsoft products over the last two years.
EU Patent Regime Approved: Includes EU Patents Court, EU Patent, Coordination 04/12/2009 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment European Union governments have unanimously approved a roadmap for a single European patent regime. The system is seen as key to making patenting less expensive and more efficient for European inventors, but the devil, as always, is in the details, stakeholders say.
False Metaphors And Sinking Ships: Patry On Copyright In Geneva 04/12/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments “In international law we like metaphors,” said William Patry, Senior Copyright Counsel at Google and author of the recent book Moral Panics and the Copyright Wars. One of the most pervasive of these is “a rising tide lifts all boats,” a metaphor whose danger lies in appearing logical. But making theory into copyright policy will benefit neither content creators nor those interested in preserving access to knowledge, he said.
Panel: Doha Round Hijacked Trade, But Geopolitics May Force Adjustments 03/12/2009 by Catherine Saez and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The future of the multilateral trading system looks bleak although global trade is in good shape overall, and developing countries are becoming heavier trading partners as a new geopolitical landscape is emerging, according to panellists in a concurrent event to this week’s World Trade Organization ministerial meeting.
WTO Ends Ministerial With No Agreements, Modest Treatment Of IP 02/12/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Trade Organization today wrapped up its first ministerial meeting in four years with no decisions or breakthroughs (as expected) but an informal agreement to consider by March whether members can complete the longstanding round of negotiations in 2010. Meanwhile, intellectual property issues played a tangential role in ministers’ discussions, but made several notable appearances.