In the News

Blue Roses for Valentine's Day

"Roses are red, violets are blue," go the old St. Valentine's Day ditties. But no more. This year,the world's first true blue roses will go on sale in Japan in time for February 14.

The quest for a blue rose intensified in 1840 when the horticultural societies of Britain and Belgium offered a 500,000 franc prize to the first plant breeder to produce such a flower. Over the next 160 years, plant breeders would create many new hues, with lilac and grey varieties coming closest, but the blue rose remained elusive and was dubbed an impossible dream.

Florigene Ltd in Australia, a subsidiary of Suntory Ltd, Japan, was founded in 1986 with the express goal of using gene technology to create the first true blue rose. In 2004, geneticists at the biotech company finally cracked the DNA code of the rose. The prototype they engineered was pale mauve, but had the genetic potential to produce roses from the palest to the darkest of blues. After four years of further refining, Suntory is now bringing the blue rose to market in Japan.

Forum for IP Offices in Asia and the Pacific Region

More than 50 heads and senior representatives of national IP offices from 29 countries in Asia and the Pacific gathered in Singapore from December 4 to 6 to exchange views on current issues and developments affecting the IP offices in the region. The event was jointly organized by WIPO and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Discussions at the forum revolved around seven broad themes: (i) current challenges and opportunities; (ii) development of IP policy and strategy; (iii) effective use of information technology for managing IP business processes; (iv) human resource skill sets and requirements for efficient administration of IP rights; (v) encouraging respect for IP through public outreach and awareness building programs; (vi) best practices in enforcing IP rights; and (vii) strengthening public-private partnership for effective use of IP system.

Participants shared their national perspectives, experiences and best practices in relation to each theme under discussion. Active deliberations during the three-day event led to the adoption of a common document outlining common approaches and...