WIPO to Host an Inter-Regional Forum to Explore Strategies to Enhance the Development and Service-Orientation of Intellectual Property Offices

Geneva, June 17, 2008
MA/2008/40

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is hosting an Inter-regional Forum in Geneva on July 1 and 2, 2008, to explore possible strategies for intellectual property (IP) administrations in developing countries, least-developed countries (LDCs) and certain countries in Europe and Asia, to respond to the diverse and expanding needs and expectations of the IP user community. The Forum will focus on practical measures that may be taken to improve and expand the range of value-added services available to all stakeholders, including the public, to forge relations with the IP user community and to ensure that IP administrations are better able to support national development objectives. The Forum will take place at WIPO’s headquarters and will bring together heads of IP offices and other senior officials of countries from all regions and is open to all interested member states of WIPO.

The Forum will examine the complexities of the development and service-oriented role of IP administrations and will provide an opportunity for officials who are at the front-line of IP system administration to exchange ideas and experiences. Participants will further have an opportunity to explore new approaches to the challenges currently facing IP administrations, in terms of workload, organizational efficiency and the delivery of value-added services.  Such enhancements will enable national IP administrations in all corners of the globe to play a more central role in enabling countries to realize the full potential of the IP system as a driver of national economic, cultural and social development.

The Forum is one of a number of important initiatives being undertaken by WIPO to ensure that countries are able to take full advantage of the potential benefits of the IP system for wealth creation and enhanced social and cultural benefit.