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 Themes
WIPO Meeting On TK Protection Ends With No Agreement, Draft Texts Heading To Assembly
The last World Intellectual Property Organization meeting before the annual General Assembly in September ended today, meeting the same fate as many others this year. The committee addressing the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge could not agree on recommendations to be transmitted to the Assembly, leaving it to the full membership in September.
1 Billion Euro First Call For Projects Under EU-Industry Innovation Partnerships
The European Commission today launched the first call for projects of the EU Innovation Investment Package agreed last year. The investment package comprises seven public-private partnerships and four public-public partnerships, for a total investment of more than €22 billion euros.
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.
IPW Subscriber Update: New Draft Text On Future Work Of WIPO TK Committee
A new draft text on future work was issued this morning by a facilitator to the discussions of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee seeking to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
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."
Divergence On Future Of WIPO TK Committee; US Proposes Work Plan
The World Intellectual Property Organisation committee seeking to devise a way to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge from misappropriation is trying this week to refine potential treaty texts and to agree on a recommendation to the upcoming General Assembly. Developing countries are pushing for a final negotiation next year, while the United States proposed a work plan for 2015.
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.