Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Following Ambassador Trevor Clarke’s appointment at the World Intellectual Property Organization and departure from the Barbados delegation, Ambassador Karen Tan of Singapore will chair the World Trade Organization Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) “Special Sessions,” until…
The world’s five “major” intellectual property offices, the so-called “IP5,” have launched a website to detail their joint projects, the European Patent Office reported today. In particular, the website will document progress on ten projects agreed to last year on…
A North American hotel chain recently lost a case at the World Intellectual Property Organization against a critical workers’ union website it tried to silence through a trademark claim. A panellist under the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ruled on…
The United States Patent and Trademark Office today announced a pilot programme to accelerate examination of some environmental technology patent applications to speed commercialisation. The US-oriented initiative was announced by US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who oversees the patent office,…
Several non-governmental organisations used the World Aids Day to promote the patent pool initiative underway at UNITAID that is expected by proponents to enhance access to second line HIV/AIDS drugs. Action Against AIDS, a German NGO, released thousands of balloons…
The International Chamber of Commerce released its “Intellectual Property Guidelines for Business” in Spanish and Portuguese during a special session at the 1-3 December Fifth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy in Cancun, Mexico. The IP guidelines “provide information…
The United States House of Representatives Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee held a hearing on 17 November on the “Operation, Impact, and Future of the US Preference Programs.” Speakers noted how threatening to remove small economies from unilateral US trade…
Intellectual Property Watch Director and Editor-in-Chief William New will chair the IP Law European Summit 2009 being held this week in Montreux, Switzerland. The 25-27 November event will include intellectual property and licensing counsel for companies and groups such as…
The Google Book settlement received an initial signal of approval by a US court yesterday, according to a book settlement website. A final settlement/fairness hearing should be held on 18 February 2010 before the US District Court for the Southern…
The 15-18 November Internet Governance Forum finished work yesterday, and the official press release and wrap-up notes have been circulated by the United Nations, which organises the annual talk shop. There is no single body governing the making of internet…