Treaty Updates

With the close of the WIPO Assemblies this week, there is a lot of news regarding treaties coming out of Geneva.  In addition to our regular post, Ip's What's Up presents this brief recap of recent developments.

General News

• Mr. Francis Gurry was appointed the new Director General.  (Read Ip's What's Up's review of his acceptance speech here.)

 

Treaties

• The United States ratified the Singapore Treaty.  This brings the total number of contracting parties to eight, just two shy of the ten needed for the treaty to enter into force.

 

• China extended two treaties, the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), to Hong Kong, effective today (October 1, 2008).

 

• The African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs became effective on September 16, 2008.  Beginning on January 1, 2009, the treaty's provision for 90% fee reduction for LDCs will be extended to intergovernmental organizations with a majority of LDC members.

 

• Several amendments were made to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).  One set of amendments changes procedures in the international search system.  The other amendments relate to international application processing.

 

For a full report of these events and updates on the various committees, check the WIPO press release.