There are three meetings in Geneva this
week regarding WIPO's proposed development agenda.
[Yes, you're right, we all thought the Development Agenda discussion had concluded in July--at least, formally. I am of the opinion that this discussion will NEVER end, because it's not really about the Development Agenda, but that's another story.]
No, it's still going on. This week there is a meeting that is supposed to simply be a pro forma meeting to adopt the report from the Development Agenda discussion. There is also a meeting of the PCIPD (Permanent Committee on Intellecutal Property and Development) that is also supposed to be a short, report-adopting meeting.
But the third meeting could be more interesting. WIPO unexpectedly called a meeting for this week called an "Interactive Session with Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)", and I'm in Geneva for THAT event.
WIPO has taken a beating from the IP skeptic NGOs over the last couple of years, but especially during the Development Agenda meetings, where the IP skeptic NGOs hurled accusation after accusation not only at the basic concept of intellectual property protection, but also at WIPO as an institution. Much of the criticism of WIPO was baseless and uninformed, so it's my suspicion that this meeting has been called for WIPO to defend itself, and to explain to NGOs just exactly what WIPO does.
There has also been some complaints by NGOs about WIPO needing to better integrate NGO participation into its activities, so there may be some discussion of that as well. Frankly, I've been mystified by that particular complaint, since WIPO seems to be the easiest of all UN organizations for an NGO to get accredited and to give input to. In the meetings I've attended, NGOs have had ample opportunity to "say their piece." What more do NGOs want--decision-making authority? Voting rights?
Nonsense. WIPO is an organization of nation member states. Frankly, WIPO is already doing more than it is required to do by letting in NGOs fairly generously, and letting them speak regularly.
If anything interesting happens at this meeting, I'll be sure to mention it here.
[Yes, you're right, we all thought the Development Agenda discussion had concluded in July--at least, formally. I am of the opinion that this discussion will NEVER end, because it's not really about the Development Agenda, but that's another story.]
No, it's still going on. This week there is a meeting that is supposed to simply be a pro forma meeting to adopt the report from the Development Agenda discussion. There is also a meeting of the PCIPD (Permanent Committee on Intellecutal Property and Development) that is also supposed to be a short, report-adopting meeting.
But the third meeting could be more interesting. WIPO unexpectedly called a meeting for this week called an "Interactive Session with Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)", and I'm in Geneva for THAT event.
WIPO has taken a beating from the IP skeptic NGOs over the last couple of years, but especially during the Development Agenda meetings, where the IP skeptic NGOs hurled accusation after accusation not only at the basic concept of intellectual property protection, but also at WIPO as an institution. Much of the criticism of WIPO was baseless and uninformed, so it's my suspicion that this meeting has been called for WIPO to defend itself, and to explain to NGOs just exactly what WIPO does.
There has also been some complaints by NGOs about WIPO needing to better integrate NGO participation into its activities, so there may be some discussion of that as well. Frankly, I've been mystified by that particular complaint, since WIPO seems to be the easiest of all UN organizations for an NGO to get accredited and to give input to. In the meetings I've attended, NGOs have had ample opportunity to "say their piece." What more do NGOs want--decision-making authority? Voting rights?
Nonsense. WIPO is an organization of nation member states. Frankly, WIPO is already doing more than it is required to do by letting in NGOs fairly generously, and letting them speak regularly.
If anything interesting happens at this meeting, I'll be sure to mention it here.