Original news and analysis on international IP policy
COPENHAGEN - Despite last-minute pep talk by US President Barack Obama, it proved extremely difficult to secure an international climate deal at the high-level meeting in Copenhagen on 18 December. Intellectual property issues were again discussed in a smaller group during one of the last days, but are not mentioned in the final text, which is entitled the “Copenhagen Accord.”
Contracts covering new technologies and intangible assets protected by intellectual property rights, notably through patents, industrial designs or copyright, need to be carefully crafted to establish clear ownership of IP rights, said experts at a recent seminar in Geneva. This is the case for contracts related to research carried out in universities or when companies enter a licensing agreement.
Google's William Patry discusses copyright myths, misleading metaphors, fear of new technologies and outdated business models in a video interview.
Draft chair's conclusions out today show the World Intellectual Property Organization is poised to make paradigm-shifting breakthroughs to expand access to reading materials for the visually impaired. WIPO members this week also are considering the possibility of high-level negotiations on a new treaty for the protection of audiovisual performances.
COPENHAGEN - A third version of the draft text on development and transfer of technology was issued at the high-level climate meeting in Copenhagen on 15 December and includes language on intellectual property rights. It may soon be presented to the ministers as the meeting goes into its “high-level session” during the last crucial days, or at least the IP language may be referred to the ministers to discuss, sources said.
La récente décision d’un juge argentin d’abandonner les poursuites engagées contre un professeur de philosophie accusé de violation de droit d’auteur est considérée par les défenseurs de la cause de l’accès aux œuvres comme un nouveau moyen d’attirer l’attention sur les problèmes liés au droit d’auteur en Amérique Latine.
La decisión reciente de un juez argentino de desestimar los cargos presentados contra un profesor de filosofía por supuesta violación de los derechos de autor se considera un paso importante para dirigir la atención hacia los asuntos relativos al derecho de autor en América Latina, según dejaron trascender algunos defensores.
Recent customs seizures by some European Union members of Indian-made generic drugs en route to Latin America have caused uproar amongst development NGOs. But their claims are not only wide of the mark but dangerous, say Philip Stevens and Julian Harris.
This week's consideration of an implementation plan for a medicines patent pool by the board of oversight body UNITAID stirred a stream of stakeholder letters from around the world.
COPENHAGEN - A draft text on development and transfer of technology was subject to intense - and indeed heated - discussions during the first week of the high-level climate meeting in Copenhagen. But no intellectual property was mentioned in the latest draft text that was issued on 14 December.