WIPO to host Public Forum on Development Agenda Projects

Geneva, September 28, 2009
MA/2009/51

WIPO will host an open forum on October 13 and 14, 2009 at its Geneva headquarters to present projects relating to the Development Agenda to be discussed at the next session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) from November 16 to 20, 2009. 

The projects that will be presented at the forum are: (i) IP and Technology Transfer; (ii) Developing Tools for Access to Patent Information; (iii) Evaluation and Impact Assessment; and (iv) three proposals made by Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The Forum, the first of its kind, will enable all stakeholders, notably non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations to join WIPO member states in providing substantive input into Development Agenda projects. The Forum is open to the public.

WIPO has stepped up efforts to translate the 45 recommendations under the Development Agenda into tangible results. Nine projects with clearly defined objectives, strategies and evaluation criteria are already under implementation. A further three thematic projects on the public domain, intellectual property and competition policy, the digital divide and access to knowledge received preliminary approval from the CDIP and implementation is scheduled to begin in January 2010.  Additional projects are expected to be discussed and approved by member states at the next meeting of the CDIP in November 2009. This thematic project-based approach is designed to deal with interrelated issues identified under the recommendations of the Development Agenda and to generate concrete results.

The Development Agenda is effectively “mainstreaming” development across WIPO’s operations. It provides a framework within which to examine a broad array of issues which reflect the cross-cutting relevance of IP within policy-making spheres, including areas such as public health, food security and the environment. It is designed to ensure greater participation by developing and least developed countries in the benefits of the knowledge economy. It offers clear guidance for the effective delivery of WIPO’s technical services, in order to ensure that all countries are equipped with the legislative framework, the operational capacity and the know-how to use the IP system – and the flexibilities, rights and obligations under current international IP agreements – to spur economic growth and socio-cultural development.