Seed Treaty Celebrates Ten Year Anniversary; Focus On Funding, Collaborations
The International Seed Treaty held a celebratory high-level event recently to mark the tenth anniversary of its entry into force.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Access to Knowledge/ Education
Indigenous Peoples: WIPO Should Reflect Changing World Order
The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge routinely holds an indigenous panel during the first day of its meeting. This week, several of the panellists called for delegates working on potential treaties to consider the particular status of indigenous peoples.
Do WIPO Delegations Want Indigenous Peoples’ Participation?
The participation of representatives of indigenous and local communities in the World Intellectual Property Organization committee working to prevent misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge is in jeopardy due to the thorough depletion of the voluntary fund allowing such participation. Some governments are acting to save the committee's credibility.
WTO Members Open Negotiations On Green Goods Trade Agreement
Members of the World Trade Organization today opened negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental technologies or "green goods."
WIPO SCCR Side Events Offer Models For E-Lending, Music
The International Publishers Association (IPA) held a side event at the World Intellectual Property Organization on 1 July to present new business models related to e-book lending. And separately, WIPO has launched an update of a guide to making a living from music.
WIPO Copyright Committee In Disarray Again; Development Dimension Questioned
For the second time this year, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee could not agree on the conclusions of its session or on any recommendation to be made to the September General Assembly on the protection of broadcasting organisations or the establishment of an international regime of exception and limitations for libraries and education.
The European Right To Be Forgotten Might Be A Pandora’s Box
Over the last few months search engines around the world have been keeping an active eye on the developments of the landmark case ruled by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) requiring Google to consider individuals’ requests to remove links that they say infringe on their privacy.
Librarians Concerned Digital Content Licences Overriding Exceptions, Limitations
While exceptions and limitations for librarians and archives are under negotiation at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week, librarians and archivists called on WIPO delegates to address an issue of contract licences for digital content, which they say often override such exceptions and limitations.
WIPO Copyright Committee: New Broadcasting Treaty Texts Show Narrowing Of Scope
After a day of informal discussions on a proposed treaty on protecting broadcasters’ intellectual property rights, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee yesterday issued two informal discussion papers showing a narrowing of the issues to be addressed. In particular, webcasting has been cast aside in the discussions for the moment.
WIPO Copyright Committee Opens With Debate Over Broadcasting Treaty
The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committeebegan a week of discussions with delegates trying to decide what rights the treaty protecting broadcasting organisations should confer and if it should include internet transmissions. At the outset, a proposal to include industry…
European Commission Adopts New Strategy On Enforcement Of IP Rights
Today, the European Commission adopted two communications on intellectual property rights enforcement, one within the single market, the other in relation to third countries. Focusing on commercial scale infringement activities, the Commission will consider other measures later, including legislative ones.
WIPO Copyright Committee Plan For Week: Broadcasting, Limitations, Side Events
The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee has agreed to split its week between work on a proposed treaty to protect broadcasters’ rights and efforts to provide copyright exceptions for libraries, archives, and research and educational institutions. It also has lined up many side events throughout the week.