A Telling Year Ahead For Free And Open Source Technologies 18/03/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara The year 2008 is one of consolidation and maturation for alternatives to traditional intellectual property rights made possible by the ease of information transfer via the Internet. The free and open source software community is growing more prominent, and the access to knowledge communities are expanding to include a broader range and deeper understanding of their issues.
Consejo de los ADPIC: la mitad de los miembros de la OMC apoya la enmienda sobre la biodiversidad 17/03/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Kaitlin Mara y William New El Comité sobre Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) finalizó un día antes su reunión trienal que fue considerada “de rutina” por varios participantes. La reunión se caracterizó por un mayor apoyo a una enmienda de las normas de la OMC relativas a la […]
Tussle Over Participation In India Compulsory Licence Hearing 14/03/2008 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche is expected to appear before the Indian Patent Office on 17 March to assert its right to attend a later meeting that could result in one of its drugs being copied, without its permission, by an Indian generic pharmaceutical company. The hearing is due […]
TRIPS Council: Half Of WTO Membership Backs Biodiversity Amendment 14/03/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara and William New The World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property rights concluded its triennial gathering one day early in a meeting several participants characterised as “routine.” The meeting was marked by further support for an amendment to WTO rules for biodiversity, a lack of enforcement issues, the welcome of Vietnam, and […]
WIPO Director General Candidates Answer 5 Questions On IP Policy 11/03/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Intellectual Property Watch posed five questions on IP policy to the 15 candidates to be the next director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization. What actions are needed in the international IP systems, such as those that govern patents, trademarks and copyrights? One year after you take office, what do you expect to have […]
Complaint Lodged Over EU Parliament’s Exclusive Use Of Microsoft Systems 06/03/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – A formal complaint has been lodged with the European Parliament over how its information technology systems rely almost exclusively on software manufactured by Microsoft. Advocates of open standard software, which is developed on a not-for-profit basis, allege that the Seattle-based giant enjoys an effective monopoly or […]
“Less Difficult” First WIPO Development Committee Meeting Begins 03/03/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The “historic” first day of the new World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) opened with a focus on procedure, a focus likely to carry through the whole first week, according to participants. “The goal [of this week’s meeting] is to progress on the first and most important […]
Indigenous Groups Express Concerns On IP Protection Of Their Knowledge 03/03/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments By Kaitlin Mara Representatives of global indigenous groups were in Geneva last week to exchange views on the role of intellectual property in the protection of indigenous and traditional knowledge and folklore. Indigenous groups participated an informal meeting held on 22-23 February, and in the weeklong meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Intergovernmental Committee […]
Free, Open Software Supporters Advocate Against Microsoft Document Standard 29/02/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Kaitlin Mara Free software and open standards proponents met this week in Geneva to discuss the importance of standards-setting and to debate the role of patent protections and advocate freedom of information sharing in the digital economy. Organised by open source software advocacy group OpenForum Europe and happening against the backdrop of Microsoft’s bid […]
Members Seek Ways To Move Policy In WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee 29/02/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By William New Developing countries this week are seeking ways to generate progress in a World Intellectual Property Organization committee on traditional cultural expressions and other issues of importance to developing countries. But developed countries and to some extent the WIPO secretariat appear to be reluctant to allow the committee, which is at the start […]