MEMBER STATES APPROVE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUILDING COMPLEX FOR WIPO

Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), at their annual Assemblies meeting from September 23 to October 1, 2002, approved on Thursday the construction of a new administrative building to extend the Organization’s premises, as well as a conference hall adjacent to its present Geneva headquarters. This paves the way for the beginning of construction work early next year. Once completed (target date 2007) this complex will allow the Organization to re-group most of its staff in a large building complex, just off the Place des Nations. Currently, WIPO rents office space in nine different buildings in Geneva.

The construction project was adopted after discussions between member states on the various options available and recommendations made in the evaluation report that member states requested the Swiss Federal Audit Office to prepare. While a few delegations expressed reservations on the construction of a conference hall, all other delegations supported it in view of WIPO’s expanding activities and growing importance, awareness and understanding of intellectual property. The secretariat assured the member states that other WIPO programs, in particular, its cooperation for development activities, would not be adversely affected by the construction project and that projected revenues would assure the required income to cover the work.

The funding of the construction project of 190.5 million Sfr is presented in the context of a financial plan for the period up to 2009. The project will be funded without resorting to external borrowing and without increasing fees or contributions. WIPO is largely a self-financed Organization, generating the bulk of its income from a series of services provided to the private sector. The most notable of these is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) which offers a streamlined and cost-effective way for users to begin the process of seeking patent protection worldwide. Contributions by member states represent less than 10% of the Organization’s total budget.

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

Tel: + 41 22 338 8161 or 338 9547;
e-mail: publicinf@wipo.int.