WIPO Moves Forward on Development Agenda, Broadcast Treaty, and Traditional Knowledge

The Assemblies of the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) concluded on Tuesday, October 3, 2006. Among other things, the General Assembly agreed to renew the mandate of the Provisional Committee on Proposals Related to a WIPO Development Agenda (PCDA) for a further year. The PCDA will hold two 5-day sessions to allow for structured in-depth discussions on all 111 proposals made so far. (For further details of the decision see http://www.wipo.int/edocs/prdocs/en/2006/wipo_pr_2006_461.html).

The General Assembly also agreed to convene a diplomatic conference from November 19 to December 7, 2007 to update the rights of broadcasting organizations with a view to concluding a treaty on the protection of broadcasting organizations, including cablecasting organizations. The discussions are confined to the protection of traditional broadcasting organizations and cablecasting following a decision by the May 2006 session of the SCCR to examine questions of webcasting and simulcasting on a separate track. For more information please see http://www.wipo.int/edocs/prdocs/en/2006/wipo_pr_2006_460.html.

Member states also expressed their commitment to advancing the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) and underlined the importance of accelerating the committee’s work and generating tangible results. The mandate of the IGC was extended for two years by the WIPO General Assembly at its 2005 session. The renewed mandate, in line with the General Assembly’s 2003 directions to the IGC, excludes no outcome, including the possible development of an international instrument or instruments in this field. Member states also welcomed the implementation of the Voluntary Fund established at the 2005 General Assembly to finance the participation of representatives of accredited observers representing indigenous and local communities. The Voluntary Fund has attracted a number of pledges which promise to make it operational in time for the December meeting of the IGC (for background information on the Voluntary Fund please see http://www.wipo.int/edocs/prdocs/en/2005/wipo_pr_2005_422.html).