Global patent filings extended a run of strong annual increases in 2013, underpinned by double-digit growth in China where about a third of the world’s 2.6 million patent applications were filed, followed by the United States of America (US) and Japan as the next-largest recipients.
The Preparatory Committee of the Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a New Act of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration concluded a two-day meeting today with a decision to hold the diplomatic conference from May 11 to 21, 2015, at WIPO’s headquarters in Geneva.
WIPO member states closed their Assemblies meetings late Tuesday after working through a full slate of activities including confirmation of a new senior management team and inauguration of a recently constructed conference hall.
WIPO member states endorsed on Friday proposals by Director General Francis Gurry for a new senior management team, consisting of four deputy directors general and four assistant directors general.
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, high-level members of the Swiss and Geneva governments, and the international intellectual property (IP) community inaugurated WIPO’s new conference hall Monday evening in a celebration that transformed the speakers’ dais into a soundstage featuring globally renowned musicians.
WIPO Director Francis Gurry pledged on Monday to continue to build on the successes achieved over the past six years in the Organization’s core programs – global intellectual property services, policy-making, capacity building, and technical infrastructure.
Through its web-based interface, WIPO Pearl promotes accurate and consistent use of terms across different languages, and makes it easier to search and share scientific and technical knowledge.
Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Sweden topped this year’s Global Innovation Index, while Sub-Saharan Africa posted significant regional improvement in the annual rankings published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry today welcomed the ratification of the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances by the People’s Republic of China during an official visit to Beijing at which the Director General also participated in the inauguration of the new WIPO China Office.
The World Intellectual Property Organization and a group of key partners are launching a new alliance to boost the number of books in accessible format for use by hundreds of millions of people around the globe who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled, most of whom live in less-developed regions.