Ministers and top officials from least developed countries (LDCs) highlighted the importance of intellectual property (IP) as a strategic tool for alleviating poverty and promoting wealth creation in least developed countries (LDCs) at a high-level forum organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on December 12, 2007 at its Geneva headquarters. The Forum was attended by several ministers from LDCs, ambassadors and permanent representatives, and senior government officials and provided an opportunity to exchange views and gain insights into IP capacity-building measures to promote effective use and management of the IP system. It further enabled participants to explore practical solutions to questions about how the IP system can be developed to ensure that it serves the interests of LDCs in meeting their developmental objectives.
Enhancing capacity in the field of intellectual property (IP) as a strategic policy approach to utilizing the IP system for alleviating poverty and promoting wealth creation in least developed countries (LDCs) will be the focus of a high-level forum organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on December 12, 2007. The forum will provide an opportunity for ministers, senior policy-makers and Geneva-based diplomats from LDCs to exchange views and gain insights regarding IP capacity building measures for the use and management of the IP system. It will further provide an opportunity to explore practical solutions to questions about how the IP system can be developed to serve as a policy tool for economic growth in LDCs.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) hosted on November 26 and 27, 2007 a discussion grouping 15 leading economists from around the world on the economics of intellectual property (IP). The aim of the International Roundtable on the Economics of Intellectual Property was to review the available economic literature in this field and identify empirical research projects that could be undertaken in developing countries and countries in transition.
New types of marks, such as holograms and scent marks, trademark opposition procedures, and questions relating to the registration of industrial designs topped the agenda of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT). The 18th session of the SCT, which met from November 12 to 16, 2007, was attended by 74 member states, 3 intergovernmental organizations and 11 non—governmental organizations, and focused on key issues that aim to establish more clarity for the international protection of trademarks and industrial designs.
At the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has offered its expertise and technical input on patent issues as they relate to influenza viruses and their genes. A technical WIPO report on this question (https://www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/lifesciences/ip_health.html) will serve as one input to WHO’s Intergovernmental Meeting on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and other Benefits, which will meet in Geneva from 20-23 November 2007.
The effectiveness of enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights under criminal law was the focus of discussions at a meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE) in Geneva from November 1 to 2, 2007. The Committee heard presentations on the criminal enforcement of IP laws in various jurisdictions and considered issues such as the scope and definition of IP crimes, investigation and initiation of criminal proceedings, jurisdiction, means of streamlining proceedings, evidentiary issues, sentencing options and level of penalties.
On Tuesday, November 6, 2007, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will host, at its Geneva headquarters, the sixth in a series of colloquia on various aspects of the patent system to provide information on different patent-related topics and facilitate exchange of information among stakeholders. This colloquium will look at the role of patents in promoting the transfer of technology. Details of previous colloquia are available at https://www.wipo.int/patent/colloquia/en/.
Participants at an international conference on the role of intellectual property (IP) in the creative industries, held at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on October 29-30, 2007, concluded with agreement that intellectual property (IP) is an essential element in harnessing the value and securing sustained development in the creative industries. Participants, which included ministers, high level policy makers, industry representatives and leading musicians, artists, academic and civil society representatives, further underlined the need to promote better understanding of the role and impact of IP on this dynamic sector which supports cultural identity and significantly contributes to economic development and wealth creation.
Government ministers, high level policy makers, industry representatives and leading musicians, artists, academia, and civil society representatives from across the globe underlined the critical importance of the creative sector in promoting cultural identity and in boosting economic development and wealth creation at a high-level conference on the role of intellectual property (IP) in the creative industries which opened at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on October 29, 2007. The two-day conference is a unique platform for stakeholders to exchange views on the role of IP in the dynamic creative industries sector.
Contributions by the Government of Italy in the framework of a recently-concluded agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have reached 600,000 Euros. The most recent contribution amounting to 300,000 Euros was communicated to WIPO on October 24, 2007 and comes from the Directorate General for Cooperation to Development (DGCS), Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This contribution follows the signing, last month, of an agreement between WIPO Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris, and Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Massimo D'Alema, which strengthens Italy’s commitment to consolidating and reinforcing its contribution to the activities of WIPO. The agreement formalizes Italy’s long-standing support of WIPO’s activities relating to economic development, and makes Italy one of the largest contributors of extra budgetary resources to WIPO.