UN Body Addresses Problems With IP Rights Within Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is holding a two-day meeting to increase awareness of intellectual property rights throughout the region.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Lobbying
OECD Holds Ground On Strong IP Internet Policy Principles
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today published a communiqué on principles for internet policy-making slanted toward intellectual property enforcement after fending off efforts by public interest groups to soften some of its edges.
OECD Faces Concerns Over Its Internet Policy Principles
A high-level meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is expected to pass a set of "principles on internet policymaking" tomorrow. But over 80 non-governmental groups have announced they will not sign on to the communiqué.
Time For A Positive Agenda, WIPO’s Gurry Tells Copyright Crowd
In remarks that have raised questions among libraries and the information technology industry, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis last week told a copyright industry gathering that it is time to move away from a “negative” agenda of limitations and exceptions to copyright. It may also be a time for more private-sector involvement in international policymaking, he said.
New Brussels Lobbying Group Communia Works For A Stronger Public Domain
A new association is being launched this week in Brussels with the mission to promote the digital public domain. The move comes in the face of heavy lobbying for stronger copyright protection.
A2K Standards Proposed For UN Consumer Guidelines
Consumers International today invited comments and proposals for a set of proposed amendments to include access to knowledge standards in the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection.
IT Industry Sends Mixed Message To The Group Of 8 In Deauville
It was a mixed message going out from the eG8 Forum - the first “Internet G8 meeting“ - that ended in Paris this week and passed its results to the heads of state of the Group of 8 most industrialised countries meeting now in Deauville, France.
Bill Gates Calls For “Vaccine Decade;” Explains How Patent System Drives Public Health Aid
Microsoft legend Bill Gates is impassioned about helping to save lives as head of a large-scale foundation. Today, he explained to Intellectual Property Watch how intellectual property rights help drive that process forward and make it sustainable.
WIPO Goes To Bat For Trademark Owners At ICANN
The World Intellectual Property Organization has urged the organisation responsible for the internet domain name system to step back from revising its procedures for judging disputes about cybersquatting. WIPO said a 6 May letter that ICANN has not sufficiently taken trademark owners' concerns into account.
Sounding The Alarm: Return Of US Legislation Against Global “Rogue” Websites
Intellectual property rights holders, access to knowledge proponents, presumably online scam artists, and possibly governments and international organisations interested in internet governance heard the call of the introduction this week of the “Protect IP Act” in the US Senate. The bill is aimed at strengthening US law enforcement’s ability to stop international websites offering counterfeit goods or unauthorised copyrighted content.