Category WIPO

WIPO Innovation Division On Chopping Block?

Several years ago, the World Intellectual Property Organization set up an "Innovation Division", headed by US patent lawyers, including a top Silicon Valley attorney and a top lawyer for a giant non-practising entity ("patent troll"). WIPO has been rather secretive about it, offering no interviews to Intellectual Property Watch with the officials heading the division despite repeated requests. Now a letter from US industry groups raises concern that the division may be headed for a budget cut that would effectively eliminate it.

Global Innovation Index: Most Innovative Keep Top Spots

Innovation is a main focus of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) substantive session taking place in Geneva this week. Today, at the ECOSOC opening session, the 2013 Global Innovation Index (GII) was launched, which ranked Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States as the top five most innovative countries in the world.

How The Main Issues Of The Marrakesh Treaty For The Blind Were Solved In The Nick Of Time

It is no secret that the negotiations were arduous leading up to the Marrakesh treaty on exceptions and limitations to copyright for the blind, to the point where there were doubts halfway through the 17-28 June diplomatic conference that consensus could be reached. Unanimous credit was given to the facilitator of informal discussions between parties, Martin Moscoso, director of the Copyright Office of Peru (INDECOPI).

During the week, tensions were high, as some contentious issues were still unresolved. Intellectual Property Watch asked Moscoso what tipped the balance between a text with a large number of open issues to a clean text with no brackets.

Interview With WIPO Director General Francis Gurry On New WIPO Treaty

With this week’s agreement in Marrakesh, Morocco on an international treaty to ease cross-border access for the blind to copyrighted books, the UN World Intellectual Property Organization has completed its second treaty in the past 12 months - with more potentially on the way. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry sat down with Intellectual Property Watch's Catherine Saez in Morocco hours after the treaty text was agreed by WIPO members to discuss what it means.

Miracle à Marrakech: un traité “historique” pour les déficients visuels

Marrakech, Maroc – L’ambiance était à la fête au Palais des Congrès de Marrakech pour acclamer le succès des négociateurs de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Propriété Intellectuelle dans leur tentative de produire un projet de texte consensuel. Après un début de semaine difficile, les efforts des délégués ont été couronnés de succès et les couloirs du Palais des Congrès résonnaient le 25 juin de clameurs joyeuses et d’éloges. Des larmes de joies étaient versées tandis que cette victoire était collectivement acclamée comme un accord historique. Les déficients visuels et la société civile qui les soutenait étaient euphoriques, certains se déclarant dépassés par l’ampleur de la réussite.

Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed

Marrakesh, Morocco - The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text showing consensus. After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations. Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement. Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some said overwhelmed.