WIPO Opens Fifth External Office, In Moscow
On 23 March, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree establishing a World Intellectual Property Organization office in Moscow.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Enforcement
GI Experts Speak Of Value But Concede International Accord Hard To Reach
Bangkok, Thailand - Experts on geographical indications ended two days of discussions here by acknowledging greatly the benefit of GIs to national economies and cultural heritages, but conceded that it has been tough to reach a multilateral agreement on the protection of this type of intellectual property. [Updated]
WIPO Reports Another Record In Cybersquatting Disputes In 2012
It was another record year in 2012 for cybersquatting cases filed at the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Centre. In addition, WIPO announced results of a survey that show that its mediation services could benefit parties in technology-related disputes.
European Commission Eyes Modernisation Of EU Trademark System
European Commission plans to update Europe's trademark system are generally good news for mark owners, a member of European brand owners' association MARQUES has said.
United States Chided As TRIPS Scofflaw At WTO
A clause unfairly protecting a rum company’s US market by denying trademark rights quietly stuck into a US Congress appropriations bill in the deep of night in the late 1990s continues to haunt the halls of the World Trade Organization – but that does not seem to trouble US trade authorities. And this is not the only intellectual property-related case being met with US indifference, an irony for possibly the biggest proponent of IP rights in the world.
ICANN Trademark Clearinghouse: Preregistration Rights Only For Those Who Pay?
Starting today, trademark owners from around the world will be able to have their rights recorded in the Trademark Clearinghouse of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Designed to help trademark owners manage the flood of new internet domains being launched by ICANN, it’s an open question whether they will be satisfied with it.
Comparison Of US, EU Treaties Highlights Differences On ISP Liability
Following the announcement that the United States and European Union will negotiate a free trade agreement, a comparison of recent US and EU treaties shows differences in their treatment of intellectual property.
Diverging Views On IPR Protection Needs In Africa Emerge At IP Workshop
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – Nigeria’s booming film industry, born in an intellectual property-free environment, was presented as a case study of how IP needs may vary depending on context during a recent workshop organised by the US Commerce Department. In parallel, representatives of multinational brands and law enforcement delivered a strong message on the gravity of counterfeit trade, highlighting its link to organised crime.
German Parliament Votes To Protect News Snippets From Republishing
Munich - A controversial update to German copyright law providing for an auxiliary protection for tiny extracts from press articles has been finally passed by the German Upper House (“Bundesrat”).
US Objective For EU-US FTA: Elevate IPR Enforcement
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday notified the US Congress of its intent to negotiate a free trade agreement with the European Union. And in case there was any doubt, among the negotiating objectives will be to raise the level of intellectual property rights protection and enforcement.
Global Pharma Companies See Battle For Survival In Pakistan
Lahore, Pakistan - Weak regulation of the local pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan, including non-enforcement of intellectual property rights and the absence of a simple and swift dispute resolution mechanism, have hit the country’s health sector badly, industry sources say.
At US-Led Workshop, African Stakeholders Call For “Home Grown IP Agenda”
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - In a re-cast, smaller version of the event that was planned and postponed last year, the US State Department’s workshop on IP utilisation and protection in Africa opened yesterday. It is co-organised by the African Intellectual Property Group (AIPG), a new pro-IP association of stakeholders across the continent, which says it’s time for Africa find its own voice on intellectual property issues.