Original news and analysis on international IP policy
In light of the growing global “innovation market” and the rapid development of technologies, countries have reviewed and modernised their judicial systems to address the increase in intellectual property issues. Notably, the establishment of specialized IP courts has been a prominent feature of judicial mechanisms to resolve IP disputes.
The enforcement of intellectual property rights - how they are enforced and by whom - is left to countries' discretion. Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on enforcement shared experiences this week on how they raise awareness about IP, their IP enforcement policies and regimes, and capacity-building in relation to WIPO training activities. And at the end of the session, delegates decided to pursue those topics of discussion again in 2017.
Intellectual property rights awareness campaigns are increasingly targeting the younger population, as early as primary school, according to several country presentations at the World Intellectual Property Organization enforcement committee this week. WIPO is also developing an Education Took Kit for teachers of children aged 5 to 18. However for some countries, this education should encompass a broader view on IP than only enforcing rights.
Blockchains, such as the well-known bitcoin, are not yet well-defined but are creating a lot of hype, speakers at a 23 August Intellectual Property Owners' Association webinar said. Two things are clear so far, they said: the technology is in its infancy, and there are lots of unresolved questions about what is patentable and how IP laws intersect with the mostly open source software used in the systems.
Anticipating a degree of uncertainty ahead for the global economy and intellectual property system, the World Intellectual Property Organization in a new six-year strategic plan looks at likely future policy debates, a focus on infrastructure and training, and possible ways to bring about better negotiations at the UN agency.
Hosting a regional or national office of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization seems to be a high prize for WIPO members, 18 of which have submitted hosting proposals to be considered at the WIPO Program and Budget Committee next week. Most of those 18 countries are developing nations and all sought to demonstrate their commitment to intellectual property rights and IPR protection, with some underlining the importance of considering level of development. According to regional press reports, Algeria and Nigeria have been selected by the African region to host the two African external offices.
The review of a World Health Organization mechanism for sharing pandemic influenza viruses while ensuring access to vaccines for developing countries is nearing conclusion. Next week, the reviewers will hold their last meeting, including an open session for governments and stakeholders to share views. The review is addressing issues such as the mechanism’s relationship with other international rules, and how to handle the rising use of genetic data instead of biological samples.
Fluent in both types of IP: Scott Bradner has been an architect of intellectual property (IP) policy for internet protocol (IP) standards. He played a core role in the development of internet protocol, leading to the very digital revolution we know today, as well as the next generation IPv6, all the while designing intellectual property policy to go along with it. Here is an interview with Bradner.
BANGKOK - Thailand has enforced a new law to promote using intellectual property as loan collateral, an effort likely to make intellectual property a more valuable asset for its holders. But experts caution that the country still lacks the infrastructure of a viable IP market.
Israel has emerged as the world’s second-largest exporter of cyber security services behind the United States, as data attacks are increasingly becoming a threat to intellectual property ownership.
There are many, many committees, councils, panels, meetings, receptions, conferences, assemblies - not to mention countless private lunches, coffees and other contacts - during the year in Geneva that address policy issues related to intellectual property, innovation, research & development and the like. Intellectual Property Watch provides an indispensable, up-to-date list of who you need to talk to when you want to get the message across or follow the action.
With a budget of over 2 US$ billion, the Brazilian Olympics rely heavily on commercial sponsors and licensing for revenue. Protecting the Olympic symbols is thus an imperative for the games with stringent rules on the use of those symbols and related signs. However, the fame of the event also draws covetousness from a variety of commercial actors seeking free rides, which is a dangerous endeavour, according to legal sources. Brazil adopted special rules for the occasion, while in the United States the protection is particularly stringent.