Working Lunch on WIPO Programme and Budget Committee and WIPO Assemblies

On 3 December 2008, the Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) of the South Centre organized a working lunch meeting to discuss and coordinate developing country participation at the WIPO Programme and Budget Committee (10-11 December) and the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO (12 December).

These two meetings took decisions with respect to two key issues: defining new goals for the organization, and the financing for all it activities, including the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda and technical assistance to developing countries.

An analysis by the South Centre estimates that the budget share for development
activities has decreased by about 15.5% in the Revised P&B in comparison to
the P&B approved at the WIPO General Assembly in March (GA/44/2).

Working Lunch meeting on WIPO Assemblies

South Centre, through its Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) organized a working lunch for the Geneva delegates of developing countries in advance of the WIPO General Assembly from 22 to 30 September 2008.

Among other agenda items, areas which South Centre will be tracking as an intergovernmental observor at WIPO include:

• Report on the sessions of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP)
• Report on the Work of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), including the Protection of Audiovisual Performances and Protection of the Rights of Broadcasting Organizations
• Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE), and the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
• Progress Report on the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC)
• Report on the Work of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP)

issues, the WIPO General Assembly will be considering the progress of the WIPO Development Agenda when discussing the outcome of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP).

Working Lunch on WIPO Development Agenda

The Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) of the South Centre today organized a working lunch on the WIPO Development Agenda which was attended by over 25 delegates from Geneva and the Capitals.

Twelfth Session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions (IGC)

In light of the renewal of the mandate of the Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions (IGC) for a two year period, it is timely for developing countries to reflect on what has been achieved in the seven years of the IGC and to collective consider the following:

1) how to advance the international dimension of the work of the IGC, and
2) define the expected outcomes of the work of the IGC in addressing the international dimension

The Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) of the South Centre will be participating in the Twelfth Session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions (IGC) being held in Geneva from 25 - 29 February 2008.

South Centre participates in Workshop on "Strategies to Implement the WIPO Development Agenda"

Dr. Xuan Li, Lead Economist and Acting Coordinator, IAKP, South Centre, was a panelist at the Workshop on "Strategies to Implement the WIPO Development Agenda" during the EDGE Annual Conference on 15 Oct 2007 in Vancouver, Canada.

Dr. Li offered interdisciplinary perspectives on how to implement WIPO Development Agenda. She provided an analysis of the obstacles from both international and national level: (i) At the international level, poor governance of WIPO, disconnection between Geneva-based delegate and capitals, lack of empirical study. (ii) At the national level, institutional, conceptual and methodological obstacles potentially impede the implementation of WIPO development agenda.

Background of the workshop: On 28 Sep 2007, the members of the WIPO formally adopted a Development Agenda. The General Assembly accepted the 45 recommendations made in June of this year by the Provisional Committee on Proposals Related to the WIPO Development Agenda (PCDA). WIPO members agreed to immediately implement 19 of the 45 recommendations, which were seen to not require additional human or financial resources.

Scenarios for the Future: WIPO Development Agenda

Prof. Pedro Paranagua from the Centre for Technology and Society (CTS) at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), School of Law - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil shares his foresight on the scenarios for the future of the WIPO Development Agenda. FGV-Rio works closely with the Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) of the South Centre.

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Priorities for the WIPO Assemblies 2007

The WIPO General Assembly : Thirty-Fourth (18th Ordinary) Session runs from September 25 to October 3, 2007. Ms. Viviana Munoz Tellez, Programme Officer, Innovations and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), South Centre provides an insight to the "Priorities for the WIPO Assemblies 2007" in her commentary recorded on the South Centre Digital TV.

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Strategic Preparation for the WIPO General Assembly

South Centre organized a working lunch meeting on Monday, 17 September to facilitate discussion and assist member states to coordinate and strategize their positions on pertinent agenda items of the upcoming WIPO General Assemblies 2007 to be held from 24 September to 3 October 2007. Over 40 delegates participated in the meeting. A background note was prepared and distributed to delegates to facilitate their participation during the General Assemblies.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Xuan Li, Acting Coordinator of the Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), South Centre. Prof. Carlos Correa attended the meeting in his capacity as Special Advisor to IAKP at the South Centre and provided key insights to the discussions.