Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The innovative capacities of countries cannot be measured with a simplistic matrix, taking only into account the number of patents or the research and development expenditures, said a World Intellectual Property Organization official. Meanwhile, WIPO’s views were buttressed by an expert from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
The membership of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization in its celebrated annual General Assembly have spent most of the last few days in informal small groups behind closed doors, trying to reach agreements on issues that seem simple but for them, go to the heart of the organisation’s functioning.
The inner workings of United Nations agencies can be very complicated, with clashes of cultures and management styles and any number of pressures. The case of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization appears to be a particular example in this respect.
Last week, WIPO members that are parties to a special agreement on the protection of appellations of origin agreed to convene a diplomatic conference in 2015 to adopt a revision of the 1958 Lisbon Agreement. The revised treaty would extend to all geographical indications the protection already granted to appellations of origin. The decision to convene a diplomatic conference, however, stirred up controversy with a number of WIPO members that are not parties to the treaty.
Policymakers at the World Intellectual Property Organization annual General Assembly over the past week have had significant exposure to what industry and creators are up to. Meanwhile, WIPO members approved the mandate for the WIPO committee on IP enforcement.
The World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly today renewed the mandate of its committee working on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. The full membership approved a deal reached in an informal session on 27 September, and statements made today showed that profound differences remain.
As many as 300 members of the staff of the World Intellectual Property Organization have supported a petition urging the WIPO director general to withdraw a proposed amendment to the internal justice system at the UN agency, according to informed sources. The petition calls on WIPO member states to reject the proposed changes.
Two candidates to lead the UN World Intellectual Property Organization from 2014 to 2020 have been formally nominated by their governments in the past week. And according to sources, others are being considered.
Differences on how nations view patent law and the need for more international harmonisation became apparent this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization annual General Assembly.
World Intellectual Property Organization members this week have discussed the possibility of convening a diplomatic conference - a high-level negotiation - on a treaty on industrial design law. As of yesterday, members appeared near consensus to proceed to a diplomatic conference, according to sources. Meanwhile, the European Union made a presentation on how it is contributing to IP and development.
World Intellectual Property Organization members this evening reached a hard-won preliminary agreement on a path to a high-level negotiation of treaties or other instruments for the protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and genetic resources. The tentative deal, reached in informal meetings, creates an intensive work programme for the next year and a final decision in September 2014. The plan will have to go before the full WIPO membership in plenary as soon as Monday.
The future work of the World Intellectual Property Organization on copyright policy after the success of the treaty to facilitate access to special format works for visually impaired people last June in Marrakesh is subject to controversy this week at the General Assembly of the Organisation. The committee still has three potential treaties brewing and priorities have to be decided upon. As of last night, the issue remained open, joining a set of others left to informal consultations.