Original news and analysis on international IP policy
After intensive negotiations, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee reached agreement Friday night on a plan to address a proposed treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired persons and others. There also appeared to be a renewed focus on a decade-old treaty proposal on audiovisual performances, according to participants.
Récemment, une cour fédérale des États-Unis a annoncé une mauvaise nouvelle au gouvernement américain et à de nombreux titulaires de droits d’auteur étrangers, comme ceux des œuvres de Sergueï Rachmaninov, de Dmitry Chostakovitch, de Sergueï Prokofiev et d’Igor Stravinski. En effet, la cour en question vient d’invalider une loi américaine qui avait rétabli la protection des droits d’auteur appliqués aux œuvres de ces auteurs étrangers
Recientemente, un Tribunal Federal de los Estados Unidos (EE UU) dio malas noticias al gobierno de este país así como a varios titulares de derechos de autor extranjeros –incluidos los de Sergéi Rajmáninov, Dmitry Shostakóvich, Sergéi Prokófiev e Igor Stravinsky. El tribunal derogó un estatuto estadounidense que había restablecido la protección de los derechos de autor a las obras de estos autores extranjeros.
A treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired persons proposed this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization met with no immediate objections, according to participants, but how to treat the proposal and other limitations and exceptions in the future has led to a sharpening divergence among governments.
The World Intellectual Property Organization is expected this month to create a new deputy director general for global challenges, and will raise trademarks to the DDG level while moving copyright responsibility back to the assistant director general level, according to sources at WIPO. The appointments have not been finalised and consultations may be continuing.
一家美国联邦法院最近给美国政府以及许多外国版权拥有者带来的一些不祥的消息。其中这些外国版权拥有者中就包括谢尔盖•拉赫玛尼诺夫（Sergei Rachmaninoff）、季米特里•肖斯塔科维奇(Dmitry Shostakovich)、谢尔盖•普罗科菲耶夫(Sergei Prokofiev)与伊戈尔•斯特拉文斯基(Igor Stravinsky)。该法庭宣布美国的一项恢复保护外国著作者版权的法律无效。
Digital content owners continue to emphasise enforcement and protection of intellectual property. However, the impact that litigation and legislation have had with the purpose of limiting illegal file sharing remains questionable, thus setting the stage for new economic models and approaches that could serve as a remedy.
To kick off the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting this week, representatives primarily from the broadcasting industry gave their views on key developments in the field, and what that means for intellectual property protection. The overwhelming message was the revival of a strong call for a global policy solution to address cross-border challenges in the industry, though a few speakers included attention to the public interest.
International copyright laws do not take into account the reality of the conditions of accessing knowledge in Africa and clearer limitations and exceptions are needed to achieve a balanced copyright regime at the national level, panellists said at a seminar on development research on 20 May.
A group of Latin American and Caribbean countries have declared their intention to support discussion of a proposal to negotiate a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty ensuring an exception to copyright for visually impaired readers who lack access to protected reading materials. The proposal is expected to be brought to the floor of a key copyright committee meeting this week.
World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy continues to be engaged on intellectual property issues as WTO members begin to revive broader trade negotiations. This week Lamy hosted the heads of the World Intellectual Property Organization and World Health Organization together, and then chaired a consultation with ambassadors on proposals to amend WTO rules on intellectual property and trade.
Word is out among Geneva diplomats that seven officials have been informally proposed to be the next cabinet of World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry.