WIPO Convenes Global Judiciary for the Annual WIPO Intellectual Property Judges Forum
November 24, 2023
Participants at the 2023 WIPO Intellectual Property (IP) Judges Forum reinforced the value of transnational judicial dialogue, as cases with cross-border implications rise and recognition grows of the critical role played by judiciaries in the development of IP ecosystems around the world.
On November 15 and 16, 2023, WIPO brought together more than 360 judges from 101 countries and 4 regional jurisdictions for the sixth edition of the annual IP Judges Forum. In Geneva, 107 judges gathered at WIPO’s headquarters to attend the Forum in person, with a further 257 judges participating virtually.
In his opening address, WIPO Director General Daren Tang remarked upon the special importance of transnational judicial dialogue in an increasingly interconnected world, where national judgments are likely to have far-reaching implications. Mr. Tang noted how WIPO’s convening power facilitates discussions on the role of the judiciary in responding to rapidly evolving technologies.
Program
The eight sessions reflected the breadth and diversity of the IP adjudication landscape. Sessions addressed emerging issues in trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications, where the participants learned from the experiences of courts across the world on issues such as non-traditional trademarks, the interplay of industrial designs with other IP rights, and the scope of protection afforded to geographical indications.
On the topics relating to judicial procedure, as courts in many countries work to align their procedures with the specificities of IP disputes, speakers shared developments from their jurisdictions that aim to provide expedited justice with reasonable costs, ensuring that all parties, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), can participate in proceedings efficiently and fairly.
Finally, the Forum also delved into the implications of new technologies. A special guest speaker, Professor Arvind Narayanan of Princeton University, drew upon his expertise in computer science and information technology policy to examine potential applications of AI to judicial decision making.
A panel on AI and the Metaverse went further, exploring judicial experiences with novel questions surrounding AI-generated content, as well as the legal questions that may arise for courts in the context of future technological development. These dynamic conversations demonstrated that judges want to understand, anticipate and be prepared for rapid advances in technologies.
Strengthened cooperation with judiciaries
The gathering of international judges in Geneva also provided an opportunity for WIPO to strengthen its cooperation frameworks. During the week of the Forum, WIPO officials engaged in bilateral discussions with a number of judicial delegations. These included:
- the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Judicial Training, Research and Information Institute of Mongolia (JTRII), that concern the establishment of a Continuing Judicial Education program on IP for the judiciary of Mongolia, the inclusion of Mongolian jurisprudence in WIPO Lex-Judgments, and the development of cooperation and joint activities between WIPO and the JTRII, with a view to strengthening the judicial system and services for IP protection;
- meeting with a delegation from the Judiciary of Tanzania led by the Honorable Principal Judge Mustapher Mohamed Siyani, to discuss the ongoing collaboration between the two institutions for judicial capacity building; and
- meeting with a delegation from the Supreme Court of Ukraine, where there was an exchange of the MoUs executed to develop cooperation and joint activities, including the development of targeted capacity-building programs for the judiciary of Ukraine and the dissemination of leading Ukrainian judgments in the field of IP through WIPO Lex-Judgments.
What’s next
The next edition of the WIPO Intellectual Property Judges Forum will take place on October 9 and 10, 2024.
The Report of the 2023 edition of the Forum will be published in December 2023.