Category Copyright Policy

Hackers For Good, Gathering Stakeholders To Find Answers To Cyberspace Challenges

For a number of people, the word hacker means bad news. However, if some hackers have malevolent intentions, there are also hackers for good, and their skills were put to the challenge last week as they tried to save a fictitious city fallen into the hands of a group of cyber terrorists. The challenge was part of a two-day event organised by a young Geneva-based non-governmental organisation seeking to raise awareness about digital trust and bring accountability to cyberspace.

WIPO, Global Protector Of Creators’ Rights, Hosts A Sizeable Art Collection Itself

International organisations are the repository of many works of art, but little is known by the public of their vast collections. The UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva hosts over 500 works of art, some of them displayed in public spaces, most of them in storage, their value unclear. They have been gathered since the inception of the organisation, before it became WIPO in 1970, most of them given or loaned. What is considered works of art include a diversity of items. The most unusual and rare, a piece of the moon, sits in full view in a glass display in a lobby.

European Parliament Approves Negotiating Stance On Copyright Reform

European Union lawmakers today approved by a 438-226 margin a measure updating EU copyright law and voted to begin negotiations with the European Commission (EC) and Council. The vote followed parliamentary rejection in June of plans to launch an immediate “trilogue” with the EC and Council based on text as approved by the lead Legal Affairs Committee (JURI), instead sending the measure for full debate at the September plenary held today.

Should The WIPO Director General Fly First Class?

There are often big issues at stake at the global center for international intellectual property policy in Geneva, but sometimes, the nearly 200 governments that direct the UN World Intellectual Property Organization have to ask themselves questions like, should the director general of WIPO get to fly around the world first-class? Turns out, the answers can vary, but for now, he can carry on.

Welcoming People In Fresh Roles In The IP Community

Looking at movements in the global IP community over the summer and heading into fall, many old faces among the government delegations in Geneva left for new posts, while a new set of faces is taking up residence. Meanwhile, people are on the move at international organisations and NGOs, and law firms continued to see high turnover.

WIPO Looks To Diversify Its Revenue Sources From High Dependence On PCT

The World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee (PBC), a key member-state body at the UN agency, today opened a week of work on a range of issues. Opening the meeting, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry highlighted the positive financial status of the organisation but cautioned that external factors could make it risky to continue its heavy dependence on the popular Patent Cooperation Treaty.

UN Human Rights Council Begins; Freedom Of Expression Issues Highlighted By Article 19 Group

Today, the UN Human Rights Council begins its 39th Session (HRC 39) in Geneva – over the next three weeks the UN’s top human rights body will come together to discuss and act on some of the world’s most pressing human rights violations and abuses, writes civil society group Article 19. There is a lot on the HRC’s agenda for September, with a number of issues important to the right to freedom of expression to be considered, and it is essential that the Council acts on improving protections. In addition to important reports from OHCHR and from special procedures up for discussion, several thematic and country-specific resolutions will also be negotiated, to be considered for adoption on 20 and 21 September.

WIPO Program And Budget Committee Meeting Topics: New Projects, Reform, Rise In Expenses

The World Intellectual Property Organization Program and Budget Committee, one of the main governing bodies of the organisation, will meet next week to finalize a range of issues on the functioning and work of the UN agency for the year. If WIPO has an insolently good financial status for a United Nations organisation, auditors still made a number of recommendations including on the trademark system managed by WIPO, the rental of space to third parties, the recording of works of art in the building, and late travel authorisations.

WIPO Publishes Report On Its Workforce

The United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization has released statistics on its workforce showing that 118 countries are represented in WIPO staff, some 50 percent of which benefit from permanent contracts, while the organisation has become a strong magnet for job applicants, over 12,000 in 2017.

New Paper Looks At Differential Protection For Traditional Knowledge, Folklore

The protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions (folklore) has been escaping consensus at the World Intellectual Property Organization for many years. One of the reasons for this lack of agreement is the particular nature of traditional knowledge and folklore. Some years ago, a new concept, calling for a different protection according to the degree of diffusion of this knowledge, gained support. A new paper looks into the benefits of this approach and its implementation in local contexts.