Apparently David Kappos will be leaving the USPTO sometime early next year. Today there is much commentary from patent community giving him high marks, and I’m willing to believe there are high marks to give. But he also had some big shortcomings. Here are a few:
At WHO deliberations (26 November 2012 to 28 November 2012) on charting a path forward following the recommendations of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG), Bolivia, Colombia and Thailand reiterated their political commitment supporting a binding R&D treaty. Continue Reading
Just before 8 p.m. on Friday evening, the 25th session of the WIPO’s main committee for copyright policy, the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), completed its work and adjourned. Continue Reading
Some have written to ask what the Canada position is on the proposed WIPO treaty on copyright exceptions for persons who are blind or have other disabilities. For the first 3.5 days of the meeting, Canada did not say anything. Continue Reading
The SCCR has seems to have finished its work on the text for a possible treaty on copyright exceptions for persons who are blind or have other disabilities, and earlier than expected. The new text distributed to delegates is 25 pages long (attached below), and includes several articles with no brackets. There are many differences to be resolved. The question is, will WIPO proceed with a diplomatic conference in 2013? Continue Reading
Update: (revised version here)
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Yesterday they finished work on the definition of a work. Audiovisual works and related rights are out, ebooks and audio books are in.
November 21 version of WIPO treaty for the blind negotiating text
Attached below is the November 21, 2012 version of the “REVISED WORKING DOCUMENT ON AN INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENT ON LIMITATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS/PERSONS WITH PRINT DISABILITIES.”
We are interested in hearing from people on any part of the text (mailto:james.love@keionline.org).
Note that on page 9 that the brackets have been removed on the definition of “authorized entity.”
US intervention at WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property: Patent related flexibilities
This was the first intervention delivered by the United States of America during last week’s discussion at the 10th session of World Intellectual Property Organization’s Committee on Development and Intellectual Property on the item of patent related flexibilities.
US intervention #1 on CDIP/10/11• The United States would like to express its appreciation to the Secretariat for its preparation of the document CDIP/10/11. We have several comments on the patent-related flexibilities proposed to be studied at CDIP.
Distance education for blind people opposed by a White House responsive to MPAA
During the WIPO negotiations on disabilities, the White House has told U.S. Blind groups it will kill a WIPO treaty on copyright exceptions for persons who are blind or have other disabilities if the treaty covers audiovisual works, including those used in education, including distance teaching programs.
Talking points for KEI statement at SCCR 25, November 21, 2012
I just read from these talking points at WIPO SCCR 25, where the topic under discuss is a proposed treaty for persons who are blind or have other disabilities. (See /r2r).
1. KEI is disappointed that deaf people are left out.
2. KEI is disappointed that there is a proposal to eliminate the article on contracts. We agree with the Library Copyright Alliance that contracts are now being used to undermine exceptions. The treaty should have provisions to make it clear that governments may override exception killing contracts.