Tuesday trivia

It's not immediately apparent to the IPKat what prompted this initiative, but readers of the UKIPO website will have noticed last week's little item on how to extend UK (and in some cases EPO- or EU-originated) intellectual property rights to the Pacific paridise of Kiribati -- an independent republic within the Commonwealth which does not usually get much publicity from the UKIPO.

Right: Kiribati's flag just about sums it up -- lots of sun, plenty of water, but not enough land for the birdie to land on ...

Kiribati has no IP grant system of its own, it seems, but the following principles operate:

"Patents: If you apply for a patent based on an existing United Kingdom (UK) patent, within 3 years of UK date of issue, registration will normally be granted, the patent will expire with UK patent.

EP(UK): If you apply for a patent based on an existing EP(UK) patent, within 3 years of EP(UK) date of issue registration would normally be granted, the patent will expire with EP(UK) patent.

Trade marks: You may apply for a registration based on a UK trade mark. Applications can be at any time during the life of the UK trade mark and will expire with UK trade mark. A registered user under the UK registration may, on application, be entered as a registered user in Kiribati. Community Trade Marks (CTM's) have effect.

Designs: UK designs registrations are automatically extended but may be declared invalid in Kiribati on any grounds existing under UK law, including publication of the design in Kiribati prior to the UK registration".

The contact address for IP in Kiribati is the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, P.O. Box 510, Betio Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati, Central Pacific. In case it's not convenient for you to visit the office in person, you can phone (686) 26 157 or 26 158, fax (686) 26 233 or even email commerce@tskl.net.ki


The IPKat's Australian friend Duncan Bucknell, of IP Thinktank Blog fame, is speaking to the Solo IP group in London on 14 February 2008. He plans to discuss some recent trends in IP strategy across the globe and what to watch in 2008. He has also been asked to give an insight into how the sole practitioner can promote a practice offering strategic advice to top of the range clients.

Left: the sole practitioner -- a species in need of protection, or a good cull?

The event takes place at 5pm at the Hall of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at 95 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1DT. All are welcome, even if they're not sole practitioners (or even from small practices), but can anyone who attends please just let Soloist Barbara Cookson know by emailing her here.


Birkbeck College, University of London, is holding a major international conference on "The Creative Industries and Intellectual Property", 22-23 May 2008. According to the blurb,

"The Creative Industries are widely cited as an increasingly important part of national economies both in terms of impact and size as well as job creation and value added to Gross Domestic Product. They are also heralded as a potential source of national competitiveness, an important area of current and future export and a key contributor to the knowledge economy.

Right: here's something to cherish -- an illustration of the theme of 'creative industries' that does NOT employ the standard cliche of the lightbulb

In line with many national government policies, a central aim of this conference is to support the creative industries and their participants by raising their profile and by assisting their development, in order to support their businesses and the cultural expressions of societies.

This research based conference contributes by comparing, discussing and analysing if and how the current rules, norms and standards stimulate and/or hinder creativity, innovation and the appropriation of knowledge and value in the creative industries.

The topic of Intellectual property rights (IPRs) will be dominant throughout this conference, but other related intellectual property observations are also welcome".

For further details and information, please consult the conference website here or email here.


Spicy IP blogger, scholar and IP activist Shamnad Basheer is in London the week after next. If you want to pop in to see him during his brief visit to Holborn on Wednesday 13 February, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, email Jeremy here and let him know.


The third executive briefing of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) on digital copyright will take place at Ridgmount Street, London, on Thursday 29 May.
The Briefing will be chaired by Tim Padfield, Information Policy Consultant at The National Archives, and Chair of LACA - the Libraries and Archives Copyright Allicance. Click here to download the conference brochure.