WIPO’s Strategies on Intellectual Property and
Economic Development
United Nations Economic and Social Council
New York
June 7, 2005
Secretariat of the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
WIPO ’s GOAL
• Promote creativity and technology transfer for
economic, social and cultural development through:
–
intellectual property protection worldwide
–
creation of infrastructure and environment
conducive to understanding the role of IP for
development
–
building capacities in developing countries
–
international cooperation between governments
and other stakeholders
WIPO TODAY
• 182 member states
• Administers 23 international treaties:
–
Intellectual Property Protection
–
Global Protection System
–
Classification Systems and Procedures
• Activities:
–
Registration
–
Development of IP Law
–
Development Cooperation
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
• Promote an IP culture
• Integrate IP in national development policies and
programs
• Progressive development of international IP law
• Delivery of quality services in global IP protection
systems
• Build and strengthen partnerships
• Greater efficiency of management and administrative
support processes within WIPO
PRINCIPLES
• Member driven
• Responsive to the increasing role of IP, the changing
environment, priorities and the broad objectives of
development
• Widest coverage
• Use of local and regional expertise
• Participation of private sector, academia and civil
society
APPROACH
• IP as a means and not as a goal in itself
• Economic Development within the MDGs
• Create environment conducive to economic, social and
cultural development
• Comprehensive plans to facilitate the integration of IP
into development policies
• Elements:
– flexibility,
– balance,
– safeguards
SPECIAL FOCUS AREAS
• Least Developed Countries
• Legislative Advice
• Copyright Collective Management
• Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
• Capacity Building
• New Technologies and Innovation Promotion
• Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions
of Folklore
FOCUS SHIFT
• Originally emphasis on:
– strengthening the legal framework and IP
infrastructure
– capacity building and human resources
development
• Assistance extended after TRIPS contributed to:
– better understanding of IP concepts
– more extensive use of system
• New aim:
– capitalize on technical/legal assistance rendered for
more economic, social and cultural deliverables
PATENTS AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Facilitate transfer and investment
• Disseminate initial knowledge as free input (“public good”)
to produce further knowledge as output (“private good”)
• Encourage licensing arrangements
• Catalyze new technologies and businesses
• Increases return on investment
• Support national industrial policies
TRADEMARKS AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Essential part of marketing strategies
• Differentiate products from those of rivals
• Consumer protection
• Franchising
• Branding
• Merchandising
• Licensing
• Trademarks and domain name registration
• Geographical Indications
COPYRIGHT AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Protects creativity and creates incentives for
producing cultural assets
• Balances public with private interest
• Enhances economic growth
• Preserves cultural heritage and produces widespread
social effects
WIPO
DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
• General Assembly 2004 welcomed the initiative
• Convene inter-sessional intergovernmental meetings to
examine proposals
• Prepare report by July 30, 2005, for the consideration
of the next General Assembly
• Consider the issue in September 2005 session
• Organize International Seminar on IP and Development
IIM - APRIL 2005
• Discussed proposals by:
–
Brazil and Argentina (and 12 other countries) for
Establishing a Development Agenda for WIPO
–
United States of America for the Establishment of a
Partnership Program in WIPO
–
Mexico on Intellectual Property and Development
–
“Friends of Development” - Proposal to Establish a
Development Agenda for WIPO: An elaboration of
issues raised in earlier document
–
United Kingdom on IP and Development
THE WAY FORWARD
• Development of national IP strategies and policies
• Use of IP in the market place
• Enhance technology exchange
• Institution building and human resource development
• Flexibilities and public policy
• Least developed countries
• Partnerships: governmental, inter- and
non-governmental
CONCLUSIONS
• Developing countries are increasingly using the IP
system
• Development is a horizontal issue in WIPO
• The need of using existing flexibilities in the IP
system becomes more visible today
• Intellectual property is becoming a priority policy
issue
• International consensus on IP is crucial to preserve
the inherent balance in the system
Thank you
Nuno Pires de Carvalho
Acting Director-Advisor
Industrial Property Legislation for Development
nuno.carvalho@wipo.int