Category Trademarks/Geographical Indications/Domains

WIPO GI System To Become More Expensive For Users; US Questions Administration

Last year, amid protests from some World Intellectual Property Organization members, a new treaty was adopted to protect geographical indications, broadening an existing treaty. One of the objections of some was that the existing treaty was not financially sustainable, and was piggybacking on other WIPO income-generating treaties. Last week, members of the treaty went over possible solutions to bring money into the system. Italy and France, the biggest beneficiaries, committed actual funds.

More Changes In UN Agencies; Movements In Global Health

Movement has been happening in international organisations in recent weeks, particularly in United Nations agencies, as new executive directors were nominated, and department directorships changed hands. The private sector and non-governmental organisations also saw a number of position switches and nominations, in particular in the health sector. Law offices kept pace with the usual chair revolving.

NTIA, ICANN Tick Another Box On Way To IANA Transition

The United States Commerce Department National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today it found the proposal developed by the global internet multistakeholder community to fully privatise oversight over the central root zone of the internet domain name system (DNS) satisfactory.

EuroDIG 2016: Multi-Stakeholder Soul-Searching

Some 800 registered participants gathered for the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) in Brussels today to talk about internet privacy, security and access. Besides the topical issues, the opening sessions speakers came back time and again to the discrepancy of theory and practice of the much-belaboured “multi-stakeholder principle.”

Rwanda Releases New Tariff Levels On IP, Signs UPOV 91 Biotech Rules

The government of Rwanda has revised the fees and cost to be paid for the registration of different categories of intellectual property rights. The changes mean lower fees for all types of IP rights, and gives more time to oppose registrations. Rwanda also enacted a law on seeds and plant varieties.

Sustainable Resources & Green Tech, E-Commerce On TRIPS Council Agenda

The agenda of next week’s meeting of the World Trade Organization council on intellectual property will include an item on sustainable resources and environmental technology, and a proposed discussion on electronic commerce. These are in addition to the usual list of agenda items.

WHO Boosts Efforts For Plain Packaging

"Tobacco-related illness is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced," according to the World Health Organization, and plain packaging of tobacco products can save lives, it said. The theme of this year's no-tobacco day, today, is: Get ready for plain packaging, as the WHO is calling for countries to introduce plain packaging in their territories.

Transition Of Core Internet Functions (IANA) Oversight From US Government No Done Deal

Will the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) be able to handover oversight over the management of the DNS root zone and other core databases of the internet in September? At a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee in…

US High Court To Consider IP Protection For Clothing Design

Fashion in the US generates over $330 billion in annual revenues, but it is more than a business. Fashion is a well-recognized art, displayed in numerous museum exhibitions throughout the world. This art, however, receives little IP protection in the US. But a case before the US Supreme Court could change that.