William New

William New

WIPO Works Out Plans For Staff Separations, Financial Disclosure

After months of private consultations, it was no surprise that the World Intellectual Property Organization Coordination Committee – the 83-member executive body – easily approved the director general’s new cabinet this week, albeit with a few notes for the future. And a previously prepared plan for financial disclosure by upper staff also sailed through. But the bulk of discussions over the intense two-day meeting were on details of a proposal by the director general to encourage a reduction in staff in the face of the global economic crisis, which members approved after long consideration and some modifications.

WIPO Appoints New Top Officials, Readies Policies On Conflicts Of Interest, Staff Cuts

The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s executive body on Monday approved a set of seven most senior officials at the organisation to join the director general late this year. Monday's Coordination Committee meeting also will address new policies on financial disclosure and conflicts of interest among top WIPO officials, and voluntary staff departures in the face of smaller budgets.

USTR Revives Focus On ACTA; Talks Set For July

The Office of the United States Trade Representative on Friday said it had reviewed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) under negotiation and has decided to move ahead on the treaty. Negotiating countries will meet in Morocco in July, and the targeted completion is still 2010.

Heated Debates Over US-Free Internet

Warnings about a possible split of the single root zone underlying the global internet have been made by internet governance experts outside the United States following a hearing of the US congressional Subcommittee on Communication Technologies and the Internet on…

Pirate Party To Enter European Parliament

The Swedish Pirate Party harvested 7.1 percent of the Swedish vote in preliminary results from the European Parliament elections on Sunday, 7 June, according to official sources. The Party aims to fundamentally reform copyright law, get rid of the patent…

اقتراح معاهدة الويبو بشأن القيود والاستثناءات في مجال حق المؤلف يمضي قدما

لجنة المنظمة العالمية للملكية الفكرية المعنية بحق المؤلف توصلت في مايو/أيار إلى اتفاق بشأن تناول الاستثناءات في حق المؤلف للأشخاص المعوقين بصريا وغيرهم من أجل تحسين نفاذهم إلى مواد القراءة.

US Supreme Court To Rule On Business Method Patents

The United States Supreme Court, the nation’s highest court, has decided to review a case involving patenting of business methods, which could have a significant impact on the future of patenting. On 30 October 2008, the US Federal Circuit Court…