Original news and analysis on international IP policy
In-depth discussions and revisions of programmes did not speed up the decision-taking of World Intellectual Property Organization delegates trying to approve the programmes and budget of the organisation this week. Heading into the final day, consensus was elusive on some items such as the establishment of external offices, or a reporting mechanism for the programme on intellectual property and global challenges.
The proposed establishment of new World Intellectual Property Organization external offices gave way to a lot of discussion today (11 September) in the WIPO committee overseeing programmes and budget. Other targets of debate: small and medium-sized enterprises, accountability for the WIPO Global Issues Division, implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty on copyright exceptions for the blind, and potential treaty negotiations in the next biennium - all with no decisions yet.
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Country delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week have started ploughing through the extensive agenda of the committee overseeing the budget and the programmes of the organisation. They are struggling to find agreement on agenda items and are deferring decisions for later in the week. Meanwhile, the WIPO director general presented the proposed budget and reaffirmed the importance of development.
A new paper by an Australian academic assesses the "graduated response" programmes set up in recent years to enforce copyrights online through escalating penalties for repeat offences, finding little benefit from the programmes.
World Intellectual Property Organization member states are expected to take a set of decisions this week on the future budget of the organisation, and have to bridge a number of differences on programmes before the General Assembly taking place later this month.
For new World Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevêdo, it is time the WTO reclaims its role in the multilateral trading system. In his opening address to member states today, he called for compromises and a joint effort to restore trust in the system and to reach a successful outcome at the December WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia.
The civil society collective formed to pressure the South African government to reform its patent act has cautiously welcomed the release of the country’s draft intellectual property policy.
The US District Court for the Southern District of New York today issued an order regarding a remedy to address Apple Inc.'s pricing of e-books, requiring the company to change its agreements with publishers with which it was found to have fixed prices.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office today announced it will undergo the largest structural reorganisation in its history beginning next week. The aim of the restructuring is to provide better patent examination services, IP protection and usage, KIPO said.
The White House recently announced the nomination of Pamela Hamamoto, a childhood friend and major fundraiser of President Obama's, to be the next ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, including agencies like the World Intellectual Property Organization, World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union.
Closed-door negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement have gained intensity since late August in Brunei with the added push of ministers, according to a statement by participants, but it is unclear what specific progress has been made.