The aim of the dialogue is to examine the role and contribution of IP offices to the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda recommendations, which were adopted by the WIPO Assemblies in 2007.

In the past decade, IP offices worldwide have been engaged in an important process of modernization to upgrade their technical capabilities and streamline their operations in order to meet the growing demand in IPRs and to implement new global IP rules (most notably the TRIPS Agreement, WIPO instruments and IP provisions in regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs)). This remains an ongoing challenge that is addressed by the WIPO International Symposium for IP authorities (17-18th September 2009) in the context of the organization’s strategic goal to create a more effective and coherent global IP infrastructure.

At the same time, global debates have centered on the achievement of a more balanced and development-oriented IP system, which is supportive of public policy objectives in the areas of innovation, health, climate change, food security and biodiversity. The WIPO Development Agenda (2007) - as well as other outcomes such as the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health (2001) and the WHO Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (2008) - is an important milestone in this process. The effective implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda recommendations also remains an ongoing challenge.

Several of the WIPO Development Agenda recommendations are directly related to the work of IP offices. Recommendation 10 in particular requests WIPO “to assist Member States to develop and improve national intellectual property institutional capacity through further development of infrastructure and other facilities with a view to making national intellectual property institutions more efficient and promote fair balance between intellectual property protection and the public interest (emphasis added).
In this context, how can IP offices become more actively engaged in the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda recommendations? What are recent examples of actions and initiatives which have been taken in this regard?

The Dialogue seeks to foster a constructive debate to discuss these questions and raise awareness about the importance of IP offices in efforts to implement the WIPO Development Agenda and to achieve an IP system and infrastructure that are supportive of public policy objectives and responsive to the views of all stakeholders.