Category Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets

US Civil Society Demand To Know If They Were Spied On: ‘Core American Principles’ At Stake

Nearly 40 US civil society groups - including some household names in consumer protection - today sent a letter to the heads of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) demanding to know if their activities related to US trade policy have been spied on. The groups said core American principles are at stake and that they have a right to the assurance that their operations are not under surveillance by US government agencies.

WIPO Industrial Design Treaty In Hands Of December Assembly; GI Debate Returns

There appears to be consensus at the World Intellectual Property Organization on establishing a procedural treaty to facilitate the international registration of industrial designs. But a weeklong committee meeting last week could not solve the issue of how to include technical assistance in the treaty. The WIPO General Assembly in December will decide on whether to convene a high-level meeting next year to finalise the treaty. Meanwhile, the United States proposed resuscitating discussions on geographical indications (GIs) in the committee, which stirred resistance.

US Loses Its Vote At UNESCO For Failing To Pay Dues

The United States today lost its right to vote in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) General Conference for failing to pay its dues. The US withheld its dues after UNESCO members voted to grant Palestinian membership in 2011. The US has legislation against Palestinian membership as a state in organisations.

Presenting TM5: An Interview With The Korean Director Of Trademark And Design

Seong-Joon Park is the director general of the Trademark & Design Examination Bureau at the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). He sat down this week with Intellectual Property Watch to present TM5, a joint global initiative on trademark and design with four other IP-intensive offices, and his vision for trademark and designs in South Korea. As part of the initiative, KIPO is holding a weeklong series of events on trademark and designs in December.

ITU Gets Involved In IP Protection

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has announced a workshop in Ukraine next year aimed at fighting counterfeit technology products, representing a notable foray into intellectual property rights protection by the UN agency.

Proposed WIPO Industrial Design Treaty Hung Up On Technical Assistance

It was clear at today’s opening of a World Intellectual Property Organization committee on industrial designs that developing countries were standing firm on their request to include mandatory technical assistance and capacity building in a potential procedural treaty aimed at facilitating international registration of this form of intellectual property right.

Flurry Of TPP Negotiating Meetings Underway

Countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement have undertaken an intensive series of negotiating meetings on specific topics over the coming month, ending with a meeting of chief negotiators and key experts in late November.