WIPO SMEs Newsletter October 2009

By the SMEs Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO SMEs Newsletter is a monthly e-publication providing readers with useful intellectual property (IP) information contained in articles, case studies, forthcoming IP/SMEs relevant events, and published presentations featured on our web site. We hope you will find it useful and informative. We encourage you to share the newsletter or items of interest with friends and colleagues. For past issues and information on the activities of the SMEs Division, please visit http://www.wipo.int/sme.

NEWS

International Convention on Intellectual Property and Competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), Rome, Italy, December 10 and 11, 2009

More details at http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/2009/wipo_sme_rom_09/index.html

The objective of the Convention is to provide the MSME stakeholders in the Government, the national Research and Development base, the university system, private sector and civil society an opportunity to discuss policies and strategies for supporting IP based entrepreneurship for a competitive MSME sector.

Participation is open to officials from national IP offices, national private sector/SMEs ministries/departments/support institutions, national chamber of commerce and industry, national SME finance institutions, private equity providers, national trade facilitation institutions, SME training institutions and other SME support institutions, including civil society organizations, involved in supporting the development of internationally competitive MSMEs. Those interested in participating in the program should send the duly filled in Application Form latest by November 9, 2009 to sme.mail@wipo.int or by fax to +41 22 338 8760.

WIPO Assemblies Provide Direction for Next Biennium

WIPO member States, at their annual Assemblies from September 22 to October 1, 2009, signaled strong support for the Organization’s strategic realignment with the endorsement of a program and budget for the 2010/11 biennium that boosts WIPO’s development-related activities, emphasizes the need to advance the Organization’s normative work, and further upgrades its services to the private sector. The visibility of WIPO’s activities for supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has been improved by the inclusion of a separate program for SMEs. The member States also agreed to renew the mandate of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge, Folklore and Genetic Resources (IGC). Click here to view and download reports and documents of the Assemblies.

Ministerial Segment Endorses WIPO’s Engagement with Global Challenges

Government ministers participating in the first-ever High Level Segment of the Assemblies of the member states of WIPO on September 22 and 23, 2009, endorsed WIPO’s progress toward its strategic goals, which they said marked a new era for the Organization and its ability to ensure that the intellectual property (IP) system helps meet an increasing number of global challenges. They emphasized that IP is now widely perceived as a key policy tool to promote public interest, innovation and technological progress.

Member States Simplify International Design Registration System

Member states moved on September 24, 2009 to simplify the international design registration system by suspending the earliest of the three Acts that govern the Hague Agreement concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs. This decision will streamline the administration of the Treaty, which offers the possibility to protect designs in several countries by filing one single application (in one language with one set of fees in one currency - Swiss francs). The Hague system also simplifies the subsequent management of industrial design rights. Click here for more details.

Thailand Accedes to PCT

Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Commerce, Mr. Alondkorn Ponlaboot, on September 24, 2009, deposited his country’s instrument of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. Thailand is the 142nd contracting state of this multilateral pact that facilitates the filing of patents in multiple countries. The treaty will enter into force for Thailand on December 24, 2009. Click here for more details.

TRAINING RESOURCES

Thai Version of IP PANORAMA™ Multimedia Toolkit

Thai version of IP PANORAMA ™ multimedia toolkit, of which is the first national language version is now available through the SMEs Division’s website and the Thai IP Office’s website.

Russian LanguageVersion of Inventing the Future: An Introduction to Patents for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The Russian language version of the guide is now online and can be downloaded from the website. Anyone interested in making a derivative work based on this guide may consult the guidelines for customization or contact Mr. Guriqbal Singh Jaiya, Director, SMEs Division by email at guriqbal.jaiya@wipo.int or sme@wipo.int.

Translation/Customization of IP for Business and Other Guides of the SMEs Division

Indonesian Translated Versions of four IP for Business guides and Stitch in Time Published

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the support of WIPO has published the Indonesian translation of the four IP for Business guides entitled, “ Making a Mark”, “ Looking Good”, “ Inventing the Future” and “ Creative Expression” as well as “ A Stitch in Time”.

Vietnamese Translated Version of Stitch in Time: Smart Use of Intellectual Property by Textile Companies Published

The National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam with the support of WIPO has published the Vietnamese translation of the textile guide.

The translation and/or customization of the publications of SMEs Division may be authorized as per the outlined procedures. An interested party may send a communication to Mr. Guriqbal Singh Jaiya, Director, SMEs Division by email at guriqbal.jaiya@wipo.int. Technical and financial assistance would be offered to credible proposals received from national IP offices, copyright administrations, and SME support institutions. Preference would be given to proposals received from institutions in developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as well as countries-in-transition to a market-oriented economy in Europe and Asia. Some examples of national translations and/or customizations may be seen here.

CASE STUDY

Study on the Role of SMEs and European Audiovisual Works in the Context of the Fast Changing and Converging Home Entertainment Sector (PayTV, Homevideo, Video on Demand, video games, Internet, etc)

This study aims to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the European home entertainment sector as a whole and to make recommendations on how the European Commission can help European SMEs and audiovisual works make the most of current changes. Click here for the full paper.

Exploring the Practice of SMEs’Patent Management in Taiwan: A Case Study of IC Design Companies

In this study, Chien-Tzu Tsai, professor of Department of Business Administration, Feng Chia University, explores the practice of SMEs’patent management by case study of SMEs in Taiwan’s IC design industry. This study points out the problems and the difficulties SMEs face when they try to establish patent management system, and also analyzes the fundamental needs of SMEs for promoting patent management and suggests the corresponding policy assistance to help solving the difficulties.

RESEARCH

Working paper: Breakthrough Inventions and Migrating Clusters of Innovation

In this paper, HBS professor William R. Kerr investigates whether breakthrough inventions draw subsequent research efforts for a technology to a local area. Evidence strongly supports the conclusion that centers of breakthrough innovations experience subsequent growth in innovation relative to their peer locations. For the full paper, see at http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/10-020.pdf

LINKS

BIO Asks Congress to Help Small Businesses Find New Sources of Capital in Wake of Financial Downturn

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today conveyed support for the Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act of 2009, which would create a funding program at the Small Business Administration to stimulate growth in early-stage technology-based companies. Click here for more details.

Measuring the Patenting Success of Companies: Metrics and Measurement for Patent Departments

The purpose of this study by Michael D. Kaminski is to consider what objectives benchmarks, metrics, and/or measurements an IP department could use to describe and demonstrate its patent successes to its senior management, its board of directors, any other relevant audience internal to the company as well as to external investors and market analysts.

Intellectual Property Activity by Service Sector and Manufacturing Firms in the UK, 1996-2000*

This paper, which is carried out by Christine Greenhalgh and Mark Rogers, provides evidence from a newly constructed database of UK firms about the extent of their intellectual property acquisition activities over five years, focusing on service sector firms, which have not previously been studied, with comparisons for firms in manufacturing and other sectors, such as agriculture.

The Dilution Debate, An Industry View, The G lobal A nalysis of D ilution

This paper covers “The historic foundation of the dilution doctrine in trademark law,” “Dilution in Asia Pacific,” “Dilution in Canada,” “Dilution in the European Union,” “Trademark dilution in Latin America,” “United States; Trademark Dilution Revision Act brings clarity to many dilution issues,” and “Back to the future; Has dilution doctrine outgrown its strength?”

Corporate Governance and IP

To see the importance of intellectual property in the corporate governance process, click here for checking the “Principles of Good Corporate Governance and Best Practice Recommendations,” released by the Corporate Governance Council of the Australian Stock Exchange.

International Property Rights Index (IPRI) 2009 Report

For this report, visit http://internationalpropertyrightsindex.org/atr_Final1.pdf

PAST EVENT

Sub-regional Conference on Intellectual Property and the Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the Agro-Foods Sector in Latin America, Veracruz in Mexico, October 19 and 20, 2009

Seminar on the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs (WIPO Headquarters, Geneva, November 12, 2009) (in English and French with simultaneous interpretation) (Registration extended till November 6, 2009)

The aim of this Seminar is to increase awareness and practical knowledge of the Hague System among actual and potential users, whether in industry or in private practice, and to focus on the needs of independent and in-house industrial property agents (paralegals as well as attorneys) who file applications for international industrial design registrations and who administer such registrations. The Seminar will cover all aspects of the Hague System including legal and practical matters (main features and advantages of the system, different procedures, etc.), as well as the latest trends in the field of international industrial design registration. To view the Provisional Program, General Information document and to register online, please visit http://www.wipo.int/hague/en/meetings/seminars.html.

All participants, or their sponsoring institutions, must fully finance their travel and accommodation costs and ensure, if necessary, their entry visa for Switzerland is obtained, prior to attending this event.

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Important Tool for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Independent Inventors (Baltimore, Maryland - November 10, 2009 and Las Vegas, Nevada - November 13, 2009)

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is organizing two one-day seminars on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Independent Inventors. The seminars will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 in Baltimore , Maryland and on Friday, November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas , Nevada, United States of America. WIPO staff will provide SMEs and Independent Inventors with an overview of the Patent Cooperation Treaty and its advantages, and the reasons why it should form part of an SME or independent inventor business strategy.

Advisory Committee on Enforcement , Nov 2, 2009 to Nov 4, 2009 (Geneva, Switzerland)

Conference on Building Partnerships for Mobilizing Resources for IP and Development , Nov 5, 2009 to Nov 6, 2009 (Geneva, Switzerland)

Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) , November 16, 2009 to November 20, 2009 (Geneva , Switzerland)

Symposium on Future Challenges of International Law: The Way Forward in Patenting Biotechnology , November 25, 2009 (Geneva , Switzerland)

NOTE:

The SMEs Division welcomes voluntary contributions of articles, case studies, news items, useful links and relevant information concerning forthcoming events of interest to entrepreneurs and SMEs for inclusion in future issues of this newsletter; contributions may be sent by email to sme@wipo.int.

If you have received this newsletter from someone and would like to subscribe yourself, then simply send an e-mail to sme@wipo.int with "subscribe" as the subject, and indicate your language preference (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian).

The past issues of this newsletter, since August 2001, may be accessed here.