Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A longstanding committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) considering how traditional knowledge and genetic resources may best be protected against misuse has more on its plate than ever heading into the final meeting…
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch
MUNICH - After years of debate, the window of opportunity could be closing for the proposed next step for harmonising the European patent system by creating a centralised European patent court, judging by comments from officials.
German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries, at a two-day symposium on the Future of the European Patent Jurisdiction in Munich this week, said that if European governments were unable to agree on an overall concept, "we should have the courage to put an end to the discussion and stay with the status quo."
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch A fight has begun over the virtual existence of Germany’s capital: Does a .berlin address space have a right to exist beside the old standby berlin.de? The outcome of the fight could have…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A recent Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) high-level meeting on boosting the development of medicines for neglected diseases mainly found in developing countries, focused on a new model under which governments promise up-front…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Webcasters across the United States fell silent on 26 June in an effort to influence the passage of legislation reversing royalty rate increases many say will kill radio delivered over the Internet. The…
By William New World Intellectual Property Organization members on Friday recommended to move talks on a proposed broadcasters’ and cablecasters’ treaty back to committee level for further consideration, a day after rejecting a proposal to elevate the issue to formal…
After a one-year hiatus, the World Intellectual Property Organization likely will renew its agenda on patent policy issues in 2008 following members' informal approval Friday of a study on patents to be conducted by the WIPO secretariat in autumn, according to officials.
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen NOORDWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS – Participants at a high-level meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) meeting here informally agreed on an agenda for what needs to be done in the area of…
By William New World Intellectual Property Organization negotiations for a treaty on rights for broadcasters broke down at the eleventh hour, according to participating government officials. A high-level final treaty negotiation scheduled for November will not take place, they said.…
By William New The United States is proposing a patent fee cut at the World Intellectual Property Organization in light of a sizeable financial surplus at the United Nations organization. The proposal is included in materials for the 25-28 June…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Concerns that a new treaty on broadcasting being discussed at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) this week will be unbalanced, providing extra protection rights for broadcasters and further limits to users, was the topic…
By William New World Intellectual Property Organization members are engaged in a critical weeklong meeting that will determine the fate of a proposed WIPO treaty on broadcasters’ rights. At the end of a second slow day, it was unclear which…