An International Survey on Dispute Resolution in Technology Transactions conducted by the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center reveals that less than 2% of technology agreements lead to formal dispute proceedings, but that these proceedings are generally costly and time-consuming.
International filings for patents, trademarks and industrial designs under WIPO-administered intellectual property (IP) systems saw continued strong growth in 2012.
A meeting bringing together over twenty African ministers, the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the heads of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and WIPO, together with senior representatives of the private sector and civil society organizations has underlined the importance of science, technology and innovation to supporting development in Africa.
Some twenty African ministers, senior policy makers and entrepreneurs joined President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania and WIPO Director General Francis Gurry at the opening of a two-day conference in Dar es Salaam to discuss the role of intellectual property (IP) in stimulating innovation and development. The conference, organized by WIPO and the Japan Patent Office in cooperation with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, is also addressing the importance of innovation in dealing with some of today’s most pressing global challenges, such as public health, food security and climate change.
Journalists wishing to cover an international conference to conclude a treaty to facilitate access to published works by visually impaired persons and persons with print disabilities are invited to apply for media accreditation. The diplomatic conference to conclude the treaty is convened by WIPO and will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco from June 17 to 28, 2013 at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakesh.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced today a major expansion of its public database of trademark and brand information. The newest addition of six national collections of trademark records – including the entire United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) collection – takes the Global Brand Database from 2.2 to 10.9 million records, making it the world’s largest free, public trademark search facility.
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry today welcomed a pledge by the Japanese Government to significantly increase its voluntary funding of technical assistance and capacity building resources for countries in the Asia and Pacific region.
Meeting in extraordinary session, the WIPO General Assembly took a landmark decision today to convene a diplomatic conference in 2013 to complete negotiations on a pact to improve access to copyrighted works for the many visually impaired and people with print disabilities around the world. The General Assembly also expressed gratitude to Morocco for its offer to host the diplomatic conference.
A new WIPO report shows that while the global economy continued to underperform, intellectual property (IP) filings worldwide kept growing strongly in 2011. It also finds that China’s patent office became the largest in the world, as measured by the number of patent applications received. Before 2011, China already accounted for most filings of utility models (UMs), trademarks and industrial designs.
Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Bruno Ferrari deposited his country’s instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks with WIPO Director General Francis Gurry on November 19, 2012, bringing the total number of members of the international trademark system to 89. The treaty will enter into force with respect to Mexico on February 19, 2013. The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid system) offers trademark owners a cost effective, user friendly and streamlined means of protecting and managing their trademark portfolio internationally.