Category Copyright Policy

IP Should Serve More Actors In New Ways, Keynote Speaker At WIPO Says

The much-advertised World Intellectual Property Organization conference on the digital content market kicked off with a visionary speaker calling for the broadening of intellectual property rights income as a way forward for a sustainable economic ecosystem and reducing inequalities. The WIPO director general meanwhile said digital technology has brought new possibilities and reduced prices but also carries its load of regulatory challenges.

WIPO IP And Development Conference Looks At Dynamic IP Systems

Countries develop intellectual property systems in different ways, and a recent conference at the World Intellectual Property Organization delved into some thoughts about, and examples of, how this is done.

Uganda In The Process Of Signing Swakopmund And Arusha Protocols

KAMPALA -- The Republic of Uganda is in the process of signing the Swakopmund Protocol on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Folklore, and the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

WIPO Committee Adopts New Development Projects, Agrees Future Work, Stumbles On Technical Assistance

World Intellectual Property Organization committee members last week agreed some new development projects and advanced discussions on the agency’s development dimension, including technical assistance, technology transfer and ties to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But negotiators could not complete a near-breakthrough on compromise measures to sharpen WIPO technical assistance through new guidelines, seminars, measurement tools, coordination, and tighter rules on selection of consultants.

WIPO Members Flirt With Agreement On WIPO Technical Assistance

Technical assistance provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the United Nations agency's technology transfer-related activities were discussed at length by WIPO member governments this week. At press time on the final day of a weeklong meeting, an updated proposal by Spain appeared to be bringing members nearer consensus on the way forward on WIPO technical assistance.

WIPO Scrutinised For Development Dimension, Involvement In UN Panel On Medicines

New text-based government efforts to recommend to the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly which committees should report on their development activities have been unsuccessful so far this week. Separately, WIPO was asked by members to provide information on its involvement with the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, and responded that it is in a delicate situation.

EU Consults On “Neighbouring Rights” For Publishers And “Panorama” Copyright Exceptions

The European Commission is considering giving publishers the same “neighbouring” rights currently available to broadcasters and producers of someone else's copyrighted content, it said in a 23 March consultation document. The inquiry is part of the EC's digital single market initiative to boost Europe's digital economy.

Landmark WIPO Conference On IP And Development Kicks Off

The role of intellectual property in economic, social and cultural development is at the heart of an international conference organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization this week. Today, a diverse range of speakers gave their views on the relationship between IP and innovation and creativity, with some describing in specific examples how IP helped their developing economies. Many speakers insisted on the need for developing countries to have policy space to define an IP system best suited to their development needs.

South African Trade Minister Opens WIPO Conference With Call For Appropriate IP

A two-day international conference on intellectual property and development opened today at the World Intellectual Property Organization with calls from speakers for the IP system to be applied by nations in ways appropriate to their economies, even if it means allowing copying - just as the biggest IP-holding nations did when they were developing years ago. The theme was set by the opening keynote speaker, South African Trade Minister Rob Davies.