CONVENTION CAPERS; JUNE MIP

Brunei signs up for Berne

The IPKat has learned today that Brunei Darussalem has acceded to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, with effect from 30 August 2006. Brunei thus becomes the 162nd Berne Union member.


Belgium double whammy for WIPO treaties

The Kingdom of Belgium has announced its ratification of both the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, both with effect from 30 August 2006. That makes 59 member states for the WCT and 58 for the WPPT.

Left: choco-sculptures are among the works that now can expect better protection in chocolate-loving Belgium


June MIP

The June 2006 issue of Euromoney's Managing Intellectual Property magazine is now out and about. Apart from the trolls and eBay stuff (the IPKat prophetically guessed it would be there, but just didn't tell anyone in case he was wrong ...) there's a three-easy-steps-to-due-diligence piece by Michele C. Bosch and Adriana I. Burgy of Finnegan, Henderson etc. This piece comes with a warning that the views of the authors are not the views of that august firm. How exciting, says Merpel, that anyone should have such strong views about so bland a topic as due diligence. What does the firm think? Perhaps we should be told!

There's also a gripping article by Connie Carnabuci (Freshfields, Hong Kong) on how to stop your valuable innovative and creative employees going over to your competitors in China - basically you pay them really well, tie them into as many contractual knots as you can get away with, but get ready to zap them with the law if they step out of line.