Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Trade associations representing creators, performers and producers of literary works in Europe have reiterated in a joint declaration issued today that manufacturers of copying devices should continue paying for copyright levies amid efforts to abolish the controversial remuneration model.
There is no way around the fact that multilateralism is struggling and the director general of the World Trade Organization was not about to dodge the issue at yesterday’s opening of the annual WTO Public Forum, as its theme this year is to assess the crisis. But that did not shake his optimism, he said.
In a bold and unprecedented move, the ruling coalition of Germany has come to the rescue of the beleaguered news publishing industry by pushing for the enactment of a related right to copyright that would ask commercial aggregators to pay publishers for their use of headlines and extracts of news articles.
Ho-Won Kim, the newly appointed commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), discussed his views on KIPO’s major policies in a recent exchange with Intellectual Property Watch. He explained the directions KIPO will take on international cooperation, examination pendency periods, and other issues, such as what the international dispute between Samsung Electronics and Apple means for companies worldwide.
The World Intellectual Property Organization did not violate United Nations sanctions on North Korea when it shipped computers and equipment to the country as technical assistance, a UN sanctions committee has found. It did suggest that WIPO should have consulted the committee before making the shipments, but accepted WIPO's plan for review and consultation in the future.
Doesn’t it always seem like as soon as you know who covers what at the permanent missions in Geneva, terms end, new assignments begin and you’re left exchanging business cards again? Well, we have it sorted with a substantial (but non-exhaustive) list of delegates responsible for IP issues this year in the world’s centre of diplomacy. Additionally, you’ll find the latest IP people news across national and regional governments, nonprofit organisations, and the private sector.
Fritz Attaway, a fighter for copyright in the international legal and policy trenches for nearly four decades has retired, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) announced today.
World Intellectual Property Organization delegates today were unable agree to recommend to the upcoming WIPO General Assembly to convene a high-level treaty negotiation on industrial designs. Work on draft treaty articles demonstrated good spirit, according to the committee chair, but experts could not agree on the timeframe. The committee, meanwhile, reached agreement on further work on the protection of country names, and quietly dropped the role of internet intermediaries in trademark protection from the meeting agenda.
The World Trade Organization is drawing attention to the importance of multilateralism, suggesting that regional trade agreements may undermine it, that the global economy depends on it, and that it should undergo a thorough analysis at next week's WTO public forum.
Cobus Jooste writes: In this special report, the VineOracle (IPStell’s personal pundit on all things IP) brings news (and her own brand of predictions) for the aesthetically minded visitor. And it’s a star-studded cast of high-flyers (and fast swimmers) from Paris and New York representing some of the most exclusive brands. But do not be fooled by the A-list members on call, from what the VineOracle hears, these celebrities are prone to IP rights violations aplenty.
One of the five Canadian Supreme Court cases handed down in mid-July considered whether photocopying by kindergarten to grade 12 teachers constitutes fair dealing. Since then, opinions have varied on whether the decision represents a broadening of the fair dealing doctrine or simply fact-specific guidance.
Better access for the European Parliament to classified documents will be realised by an inter-institutional agreement passed nearly unanimously by the members of the European Parliament last week at their recent Strasbourg session.