أعضاء الويبو يفحصون مشروع البرنامج والميزانية للفترة 2010-2011

امت الحكومات الأعضاء في المنظمة العالمية للملكية الفكرية هذا الأسبوع بتحليل دقيق مطول لمشروع البرنامج والميزانية الذي اقترحته أمانة الويبو للفترة 2010-2011 – وهي أول وثيقة تعكس تماما إعادة التنظيم الاستراتيجي التي قام بها مدير المنظمة فرانسيس غري. ورغم حوالي 200 مداخلات قامت بها الحكومات حول جوانب الخطة، كان هناك تأييد على ما يبدو لاقتراح الأمانة المتعلق بميزانية السنتين التي تبلغ 618,6 مليون فرنك سويسري (577,2 مليون دولار أمريكي)، مع انخفاض بنسبة 1,6 في المائة أو 9,8 مليون فرنك سويسري، مقارنة بالفترة 2008-2009.

Being Sued By The RIAA

Joel Tenenbaum, who is involved in a high-profile challenge of the music industry’s suit against him on the charge of unauthorised sharing of music, has written an editorial about his experiences of intimidation tactics. It is available from the Guardian…

Academics Debate How To Release ‘Revolutionary’ Power Of Development Agenda

The Development Agenda at the World Intellectual Property Organization is a “potentially revolutionary” agreement, according to a book released this month, but whether it will fulfil that promise depends on its implementation into concrete practice, said a panel of academics at the book’s launch.

US Biologics Debate Heats Up As Congress, Obama, Wrangle With Healthcare Reform

As the United States Congress prepares to recess in early August, there's hope - and dread, depending on which “side” of the debate you’re on - that legislation creating a regulatory pathway for follow-on biologics may be pushed through as part of the broader healthcare reform package.

EU Report Finds Fault With US Barriers To IP

The European Commission on Monday released a report finding fault with a number of United States practices related to intellectual property rights policy, on copyright, geographical indications, trademarks and patents. The report is an answer, one might say, to the US Special 301 report that criticises US trading partners it deems unilaterally to be insufficiently protecting its companies’ IP rights.

LDCs Commit To Use IP For Development At WIPO; Use Of Exceptions, Flexibilities Omitted

Officials from least developed nations on Friday agreed to a strategy for using intellectual property to encourage local innovation, protect national cultural and genetic resources, attract foreign direct investment, and spur development at a World Intellectual Property Organization forum on the use of intellectual property for “prosperity and development.” But they did not appear to highlight other options for development such as exceptions and limitations to copyright or flexibilities they are allowed in applying IP laws.

Lamy To Meet With WTO Membership On IP Issues; Breakthrough Unlikely

World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy on Monday is expected to inform members that months of informal consultations on two key intellectual property issues on which a majority of governments would like a clear negotiating mandate have not yet resulted in an agreement. But proponents are hopeful the high-level attention to the subject will help start progress toward resolution in the future.

WIPO Members Scrutinise Draft 2010-2011 Programme, Budget

The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization this week carefully analysed the draft programme and budget for 2010-2011 proposed by the WIPO secretariat – the first one fully reflecting the strategic realignment of the UN organisation by Director General Francis Gurry. And despite some 200 interventions by governments on aspects of the plan, there appeared to be support for the secretariat’s proposal for a two-year budget of CHF618.6 million Swiss francs (US$577.2 million), a decrease from 2008-2009 of 1.6 percent or CHF9.8 million Swiss francs.