Conclusion of the WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement

The South Centre participated in the proceedings of the WIPO Advisory on Enforcement (ACE) held in Geneva on 1- 2 Nov 2007.

The ACE is a forum for discussion of enforcement matters and its mandate excludes norm-setting. After informal consultations, the ACE could not agree on the topic to be considered in its next session. The Chair has now invited Member States to send before February 2008 to the Secretariat proposals on the topics and on the procedure to be followed in the ACE to select future topics.

Member States asked the Secretariat to take into consideration Members' suggestions on the list of speakers to be invited for the next ACE. In making suggestions and selecting the future topics and speakers, Members should be guided by the spirit of and agreed proposals of the WIPO Development Agenda that was adopted at the past WIPO Assemblies, particularly no. 45 that reads:

"To approach intellectual property enforcement in the context of broader societal interests and especially development-oriented concerns, with a view that "the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights should contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of technology, to the mutual advantage of producers and users of technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and to a balance of rights and obligations", in accordance with Article 7 of the TRIPS Agreement."