ID :
30884
Tue, 11/18/2008 - 18:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/30884
The shortlink copeid
WIPO TO ENHANCE ITS GLOBAL IP SERVICES By Shanti Ayadurai
GENEVA, Nov 18 (Bernama)-- The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), one of the specialised agencies under the United Nations, is looking to further enhance its services in the area of international patents, trademarks, as well as design registration and copyright.
Its new director general, Francis Gurry, who took office on Oct 1, said
the organisation would give priority to clearing a backlog in the number of
unapproved international patent applications while expanding its work in the
area of international trademark registration and others under the IP
system.
Several international treaties covering the area of intellectual property
rights come under the purview of WIPO, including the International Patent
System Treaty, Patent Corporation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid Agreement which
covers the area of trademarks, as well as the Hague System for the registration
of international designs and the Berne Convention which provides protection for
literary and artistic works.
"Each year around the world, 1.7 million patent applications are made.
Unfortunately there is a backlog of 3.5 million unprocessed patent
applications," Gurry said, during a recent WIPO seminar here for journalists on
IP.
Under the PCT, a total of 160,000 international applications were filed
last year with the WIPO.
A priority of WIPO in the patent area would be to use the PCT as a
vehicle to rationalise the management of excess demand around the world in
the area of patents, towards reducing the backlog, he said.
A reason for the excessive number waiting for patent approvals, he
said, includes increasing globalisation and an unprecedented growth of knowledge
economy worldwide.
On the area of trademarks, he said nearly 40,000 international applications
were filed with the organisation under the Madrid Agreement. He said WIPO's
priority would be to globalise the agreement and improve its quality of
services under the terms of the database made available to users.
Gurry said WIPO would also be making a big effort to improve the global
coverage of the Hague System which caters to the international registration of
designs.
Describing the area of designs, as the "neglected cousins" in the family of
international property, he underlined the importance of it, including that to
developing countries.
The WIPO's arbitration and mediation centre meanwhile offers its services
to
private parties with disputes covering IP. The centre processes abut 2,000
internet domain name disputes yearly between internet domain names and
trademarks.
Other areas in which the organisation continues to strive for establishing
acceptable international standards while promoting innovation as well as
continued economic growth includes, those where disputes have been growing
while policies covering it remained grey and complicated, such as the
internet, as well as traditional knowledge protection.
--BERNAMA
Its new director general, Francis Gurry, who took office on Oct 1, said
the organisation would give priority to clearing a backlog in the number of
unapproved international patent applications while expanding its work in the
area of international trademark registration and others under the IP
system.
Several international treaties covering the area of intellectual property
rights come under the purview of WIPO, including the International Patent
System Treaty, Patent Corporation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid Agreement which
covers the area of trademarks, as well as the Hague System for the registration
of international designs and the Berne Convention which provides protection for
literary and artistic works.
"Each year around the world, 1.7 million patent applications are made.
Unfortunately there is a backlog of 3.5 million unprocessed patent
applications," Gurry said, during a recent WIPO seminar here for journalists on
IP.
Under the PCT, a total of 160,000 international applications were filed
last year with the WIPO.
A priority of WIPO in the patent area would be to use the PCT as a
vehicle to rationalise the management of excess demand around the world in
the area of patents, towards reducing the backlog, he said.
A reason for the excessive number waiting for patent approvals, he
said, includes increasing globalisation and an unprecedented growth of knowledge
economy worldwide.
On the area of trademarks, he said nearly 40,000 international applications
were filed with the organisation under the Madrid Agreement. He said WIPO's
priority would be to globalise the agreement and improve its quality of
services under the terms of the database made available to users.
Gurry said WIPO would also be making a big effort to improve the global
coverage of the Hague System which caters to the international registration of
designs.
Describing the area of designs, as the "neglected cousins" in the family of
international property, he underlined the importance of it, including that to
developing countries.
The WIPO's arbitration and mediation centre meanwhile offers its services
to
private parties with disputes covering IP. The centre processes abut 2,000
internet domain name disputes yearly between internet domain names and
trademarks.
Other areas in which the organisation continues to strive for establishing
acceptable international standards while promoting innovation as well as
continued economic growth includes, those where disputes have been growing
while policies covering it remained grey and complicated, such as the
internet, as well as traditional knowledge protection.
--BERNAMA
