At WIPO, A Complex Fight Against Counterfeiting, Piracy 21/12/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The fight against counterfeiting and piracy is at the heart of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement, a non-negotiating body. In a meeting of the committee this week, delegates heard expert presentations on ways to tackle infringement and measure its impact. However, the smooth discussions were disrupted by considerations of the future work of the committee.
US Supreme Court Poised To Rule Human Genes Are Not Patentable 21/12/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments For decades, the United States has pioneered the patenting of human genes, and other countries have followed this lead. But the US will soon perform an abrupt about-face, most experts predict. When the US Supreme Court hands down its decision in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, the justices appear likely to rule that human genes are not patentable subject matter. And the ruling may go even farther, holding that other forms of human DNA are not patentable.
UN Official Stresses Importance Of Civil Society In Internet Future 21/12/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Frank La Rue, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in a statement about last week’s World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), underlined the importance of civil society in discussions about the future of the internet.
European Human Rights Court: Internet Restriction Violates Freedom Of Expression 20/12/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled this week that “restriction of Internet access without a strict legal framework regulating the scope of the ban and affording the guarantee of judicial review to prevent possible abuses amounts to a violation of freedom of expression.”
WIPO Members En Route To Diplomatic Conference On Treaty For The Blind 17/12/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After several hours in informal consultations, delegates attending the 42nd session of the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly (and 22nd Extraordinary Session) came out of the room this evening with good news.
Great Expectations For WIPO Extraordinary General Assembly On Treaty For Blind 16/12/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments An Extraordinary General Assembly will take place tomorrow at the World Intellectual Property Organization to decide on convening a high-level meeting in 2013 to agree on a treaty on exceptions and limitations to copyright for visually impaired people, enabling them to have a better access to works in special formats.
IP Rockstar Says: IP In Business Is No Longer “Dessert,” More Like “Wine” 15/12/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Bulging portfolios, lucrative licensing fees, and record patent sales, the booming business of intellectual property strengthens calls from business leaders to accelerate the harmonisation of the global patent system. Participants in a recent private-sector intellectual property conference said that redundancies in international processes “creates waste” which could be better used to invest in new business.
WCIT Split After Split “Vote” On Internet Governance Resolution 13/12/2012 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Dubai, UAE – A mere resolution, not part of the future International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR), led to yet another escalation at the ongoing World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai last night.
WIPO Promotes Discussion On Indian Film Industry’s Benefit From IPR 12/12/2012 by Tiphaine Nunzia Caulier for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The launch of the weeklong Indian film festival at the World Intellectual Property Organization last week brought together different speakers who stressed the importance of copyright protection for the safeguarding and development of the Indian film industry and who characterised unauthorised downloading as a danger for the industry.
A Closer Look Into A WIPO Regional Workshop: Making An Instant IP Whiz 10/12/2012 by Maricel Estavillo for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Manila, Philippines – Another destructive typhoon was battering southern Philippines last week, but this did not stop the majority of the delegates coming from the provinces near the affected areas from flying to the capital to attend what organisers touted as a trailblazing programme that has the potential to raise awareness of sophisticated intellectual property tools and policies at the grassroots level in developing countries.