WIPO Committee Debates SDGs, Review Of Development Agenda Recommendations

The World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is meeting this week with an agenda including the presentation of a first review on how well WIPO implemented its Development Agenda Recommendations from 2008 to 2015. Also on the agenda is a discussion on what United Nations Sustainable Development Goals can be applied to WIPO’s work, and what the role of WIPO is in technology transfer.

The 18^th session of the CDIP is taking place from 31 October to 4 November.

The CDIP often holds discussions on how the organisation should mainstream its Development Agenda in its activities, how to best implement the Development Agenda 45 Recommendations, and how developing countries can make the best of the intellectual property system to promote their development needs.

According to sources, one of the most important item on the agenda [pdf] is a report [pdf] on the Independent Review of the Implementation of the 2007 Development Agenda Recommendations. The report was initially released in August (IPW, WIPO, 23 August 2016) but is being commented on by the CDIP members states this week.

Members of the CDIP started discussion this morning on the subject with lengthy statements on the recommendations provided by the review.

Sustainable Development Goals

Another subject of importance is the discussion about which Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are relevant to WIPO’s work. A meeting document [pdf] provides a compilation of member states’ inputs on SDGs relevant to WIPO’s work.

WIPO had provided for the 16^th session of the CDIP (November 2015) a document [pdf] including a list of SDGs which would be relevant to WIPO’s work. The UN Agenda 2030 includes 17 SDGs and 169 targets. In the document, WIPO said Goal 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) and Goal 17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development) are relevant to WIPO’s mandates and strategic goals.

The document also listed a number of other goals “with relevance to WIPO’s programs and activities, for which WIPO will partner or report as and when requested with others UN agencies and stakeholders in charge of their implementation.”

China had remarked that many other goals and targets are related to IP and in particular to the work of WIPO, some of which are listed in the meeting document this week. The document also includes inputs from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries (GRULAC), Uganda, and Brazil.

International Conference on IP and Development, Tech Transfer

Also on the agenda is a report on the International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development, which took place in April (IPW, WIPO, 8 April 2016). The report was noted by the CDIP today.

The African Group suggested that such a conference, which was hailed by all countries taking the floor, should be held every two years. The group also proposed that a study be conducted on the relationship between IP rights and innovation and creativity in developing countries. The group said it would prepare written proposals to be submitted at the next session of the CDIP.

Following a discussion on a document provided by WIPO at the 17^th session of the CDIP in the spring, mapping WIPO activities related to technology transfer, member states were invited to provide proposals for discussion this week. A meeting document [pdf] compiles inputs received on activities related to technology transfer.

The document includes a joint proposal of the United States, Australia, and Canada; as well as a proposal from South Africa. Both proposals relate to WIPO activities in the area of technology transfer.

Ongoing Discussions

Also on the agenda for member states this week is a continued discussion on a 2011 External Review [pdf] of WIPO Technical Assistance in the Area of Cooperation for Development. The gist of the discussions is about the recommendations provided in this report and whether the recommendations already implemented by WIPO are sufficient in the view of some member states, mainly developing countries.

In 2012, the Development Agenda Group and the African Group had submitted a proposal [pdf] providing specific action to improve WIPO’s development cooperation, in particular the development by WIPO of a manual on delivery of technical assistance.

During the last session of the CDIP in the spring, delegates could not agree on a revised Spanish proposal on six measures to be followed by WIPO in its technical assistance (IPW, WIPO, 18 April 2016).

Two other issues have been standing unresolved for some years at the CDIP, the first one is the unmet request by developing countries that the CDIP agenda has a standing item on IP and development. This has been resisted by developed countries.

The other issue is also a request by a number of developing countries that all WIPO committees report to the General Assembly on their development activities. As of today, all WIPO committees meet this obligation, except for the Committee on WIPO Standards, and the Program and Budget Committee. This request has also been resisted by a number of developed countries.