Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The World Intellectual Property Organization patent law committee this week is discussing a range of issues with a UN-style sensitivity to all levels of development and patent ownership. Issues on the agenda range from patent quality, public health, exceptions and limitations, client-attorney confidentiality, and technology transfer.
WASHINGTON, DC - The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is charging full-steam ahead in implementing the American Invents Act (AIA), but some are warning that the trademark first-to-file provision and other elements may do more harm than good to the patent system.
A “clatch” is another word for “brood”, which is a not inappropriate word in the present circumstances – considering that Canada’s highest court will hear five (yes, five!) cases on December 6 and 7, 2011 that all emanate from Canada’s Copyright Board, writes Howard Knopf.
In what was termed a “marathon” session at the outset, World Intellectual Property Organization members took up a large number of copyright-related topics over the past two weeks with varying results. By the late-night end, an audiovisual treaty was on track, exceptions for libraries and a draft broadcasters’ treaty had new life, IP enforcement was going strong, but a draft treaty for print-disabled readers was unravelled.
Leading debates surrounding global efforts to stop counterfeiting and piracy of intellectual property rights-protected goods and services came into full view at the recent meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization enforcement committee. In that debate, a long list of civil society groups has raised concern about WIPO enforcement activities.
As governments meet to look for ways to progress on halting global climate change, some are suggesting more discussion is needed on the sharing of the technologies that can fight that change, and a middle ground approach has been put forward to get them there.
Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization have agreed to hold highest level negotiations on a treaty to protect audiovisual performers’ rights in the summer of 2012 in Beijing, China.
A four-day conference in Brussels next week involving numerous high-level decision-makers in intellectual property policy and practice will bring out the latest thinking on IP rights as a boost to innovation in Europe and around the world. There will be a special focus on open innovation, IP in industry, IP strategies, and IP in the largest emerging economies.
The first and only amendment to the 1994 World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was agreed with much aplomb at the Hong Kong ministerial in 2005. But getting countries to ratify the amendment has proven more difficult.
The Philippines Justice Secretary has issued an opinion that an agency cannot issue an injunction against an alleged counterfeiter as the complainant must be an actual party with an interest in the case.
European efforts to resolve three vexing intellectual property issues - copyright licensing, private copying levies and a unified system for granting and litigating patents - are gaining pace in the public and private sectors and could bear fruit next year.
The Supreme Court in New Delhi has postponed the Novartis v. Union of India hearing. The case will now be heard on 28 February 2012.