At FSFE, we work in some committees of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). From October 11-15, WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP, for short) had its 15th session. We participate there because the committee discusses questions related to patents (duh) and standards. Our main goals in the committee are: convince WIPO Read more »
A US lobby group demands that the US government should punish countries that recommend or use Free Software. This post explains how Free Software came to be considered something that’s worth starting a trade war over.
Technology transfer is not just about giving patent licenses to developing countries. The important question is whether people in those countries can actually make use of the technology in question. Free Software provides a model here. By letting anyone from around the world with Internet access participate in collaborative development processes, developers anywhere can work with and learn from the best.
Software should not be patentable, anywhere. But what to do about those unfortunate jurisdictions where software patents are currently allowed? At the World Intellectual Property Organisation, FSFE pushes to at least put in place a working system to challenge patents. The goal of getting rid of patents on software entirely remains the same.
This week, the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents is meeting in Geneva. From FSFE’s perspective, the two most important points on the agenda are the relation between standards and patents, and limitations to patentability. We’ll go into details in the coming days. On patents and standards, one obvious point is that Free Read more »
The talks about a broadcasting treaty at WIPO have collapsed for now. But I bet this wasn’t the last time we’ve heard of it. The South Centre has just published a research paper (.pdf, 350 kB), looking at the broadcasting treaty from the perspective of developing countries. Here’s what it says in a nutshell: The Read more »
Last week brought truly good news. After two years of negotiations, it looks like the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) may finally turn into an organisation that works for the interest of society at large, rather than just those of a small group of major holders of intellectual monopolies. Last week’s meeting of the “Provisional Read more »
It’s been a harrowing day, and I’m not even near Geneva, where the negotiations on a WIPO broadcasting treaty went through some ups and downs today. After yesterday’s session, it looked as if the treaty would be gone for good, as numerous delegations had piled in to make new demands just before closing time. Today, Read more »
IP-Watch reports that Sisule Musungu, a key expert of the international community discussing copyright and patent reform, has been asked to leave his position yesterday without warning. He was the head of the South Centre’s Innovation and Access to Knowledge programme. In this function, he worked hard to give more weight to the interests of Read more »
Discussions on the WIPO Development Agenda, an effort to make WIPO comply with its UN mission and focus on development, have dragged on for quite a while now without making much headway. No one doubts that this is due to opposition from developed countries, who are the ones profiting from the grossly imbalanced global system Read more »