Industry Advisory Commission to Meet on 4-5 February

Geneva, February 2, 1999
Press Releases PR/1999/153

Top level representatives from the private sector will meet under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on February 4 and 5, 1999, to discuss the implications on intellectual property of rapid changes in their industries.

This will be the first meeting of WIPO's Industry Advisory Commission (IAC), which was established as part of the efforts by WIPO Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris, to take into consideration the broadest range of opinions in the context of policy-making and medium-term planning.

The views from industry are important to WIPO bearing in mind that the private sector benefits directly from the organization's services. The Commission, which will bring together some 20 senior representatives of industry, is expected to identify and review issues that may need to be dealt by WIPO from the specific perspective of industry and market sector.

The agenda of the meeting is divided into three parts. The first relates to electronic commerce, a multi-billion dollar industry that has become a subject of major economic and policy importance. Intellectual property issues are of central importance in maintaining a stable and positive environment for the continuing development of electronic commerce. The second item relates to "Intellectual Property and Wealth Creation". Intellectual property plays a positive and central role in creating jobs by attracting investments of both capital and knowledge assets. The last theme to be dealt with is "Managing Change at the International Level". The business people will give their insight on ways policy-makers can keep up with rapid technological changes.

The Director General invited the industry representatives in their personal capacity. Geographical distribution was taken into consideration in the choice of the members as was the need to have a broad range of industries represented. The IAC will enhance the Secretariat's capacity to monitor and respond in a timely, informed, and effective manner to the demands of the market sector and of users of the intellectual property systems.

The idea of the Commission, which will be purely advisory in nature, was born from the Director General's conviction that an organization like WIPO whose mission is to promote the protection of intellectual property around the world must stay abreast of developments in the private sector. WIPO must continue to have and strengthen its dialogue with industry. According to Dr. Idris "without engaging in a dialogue with our constituents in industry, we cannot know the problems that confront them and the demands those problems place on the international intellectual property system."

Dr. Idris expects the Industry Advisory Commission to "advise WIPO of ways in which industry could work with WIPO to best implement our program of activities." He adds, "Moreover, they will be called upon to look over the horizon and apprise WIPO of where their industries are headed and the implications for intellectual property." He perceives the Commission as "a sort of early warning system for problems and opportunities."

For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:

Tel: (+41 22) 338 8161 or 338 95 47
Fax: (+41 22) 338 88 10
E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int