Category Trademarks/Geographical Indications/Domains

With A “Clean Slate,” WIPO Director Nominee Gurry Looks Ahead

Incumbent Francis Gurry of Australia today was nominated to be the director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization until 2020, with WIPO members to make their final decision on 8 May. In his return to office, Gurry told reporters today he wants to focus on the digital marketplace, improving the organisation’s performance, changing geopolitics, and to steer journalists away from writing about allegations of wrongdoing at WIPO.

Gurry Wins Committee Vote For Next Director General Of WIPO

After a bumpy road, the director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization today was recommended by the WIPO Coordination Committee to be returned to office for another six-year term.

William New
March 6, 2014
3 Comments

WIPO Director General Election: Down To Three Candidates

World Intellectual Property Organization members this morning held a first round of voting for the director general candidate to lead the UN organisation for the next six years. The top three candidates, from Australia, Nigeria and Panama, will advance to the second round to be held this afternoon.

William New
March 6, 2014
3 Comments

WIPO Enforcement Committee: Positive Sharing Of Experiences But Future Work Elusive

After two-and-a-half days of non-stop information sharing on ways to build respect for intellectual property and enforce IP rights, members of the World Intellectual Property Organization could not agree on the future agenda of the committee on enforcement.

Catherine Saez
March 6, 2014

WIPO Director Election Today; Outcome Still Hard To Predict

An executive committee of nearly half the World Intellectual Property Organization membership will tomorrow, 6 March, select the leader of the key UN organisation for the next six years. And it is still hard to predict whether the incumbent will return.

William New
March 5, 2014

At WIPO: New Business Models Aim To Shrink Market For Counterfeits

New business models for reducing markets for counterfeit and pirated goods were presented by speakers at the WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement this week, including voluntary mechanisms and graduated responses. But prices on brand name products was a little-explored issue during the presentations, only underlined as a possible factor of piracy by one developing country delegation.

Catherine Saez
March 5, 2014

Intergovernmental South Centre Issues Statement On “US Attacks On Indian IP Policy”

The South Centre, the Geneva-based intergovernmental organisation of developing countries, yesterday issued a statement calling on World Trade Organization members to oppose United States pressure against developing countries, and India in particular, over their intellectual property laws.

William New
March 5, 2014
1 Comment

WIPO Members Target Young People In IP Awareness-Raising Campaign

Raising awareness on the value of intellectual property and preventive actions to fight counterfeiting particularly among younger users was among the strategies presented by speakers at the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement of IP rights this week.

Catherine Saez
March 5, 2014

WIPO Exhibition Presents New Strategies Against Counterfeit, Pirated Goods

This week, some World Intellectual Property Organization member states are presenting their national and regional practices and strategies to prevent purchases of counterfeit or pirated goods with the aim to promote the underreported hard work of states in this area.

MaÃ«li Astruc and Julia Fraser
March 5, 2014

Privatize, Don’t Internationalise, Internet Oversight, Academics Say

The Snowden revelations have spurred yet another discussion on how to internationalise or globalise the oversight over the management of core infrastructures of the internet, namely the so-called IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) functions. Why not let the private sector decide?

WIPO Enforcement Committee Gains Ground As “Marketplace Of Ideas”

World Intellectual Property Organization members this week are meeting to discuss efforts to better protect intellectual property rights worldwide, including some new proposals for discussion and an exhibition on national programmes.

Julia Fraser and William New
March 3, 2014

UN Internet Governance Discussion: Why Did It Fail To Agree And Why Will Discussions Continue?”

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation held what was supposed to be its last meeting in Geneva on 24-28 February. However, as explained below, the group failed to agree certain key issues, so it agreed to meet again on 7-9 May. Richard Hill offers an explanation.