In October 2002, the UNCTAD-ICTSD Project on
Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and Sustainable Development
launched the Series of Bellagio Dialogues on Intellectual Property
and Development in response to concerns that certain trends
in the formulation of international intellectual property (IP)
policies may be detrimental to economic, technological, social
and cultural development as well as poverty eradication.
The Series has gathered a diverse group of specialists,
government experts and members of international and non-governmental
organizations that meet in their personal capacity to assess
current international trends on intellectual property and development.
They are aimed at strategic discussions and the identification
concrete recommendations that could contribute to the formulation
of development-oriented IP policies. Two Dialogues have been
organized since 2002.
First Dialogue
Towards Development-Oriented Intellectual Property Policy:
Setting the Agenda for the Next Five Years (November 2002)
The future of IP in the multilateral trading
system;
The challenge of new treaty development and
harmonization;
The promotion effective national policy formulation;
The integration IP policies in development
strategies;
Second Dialogue
Towards Development-Oriented Intellectual Property Policy:
Advancing the Reform Agenda (October 2003)
Latest developments in the IP field;
TRIPS-plus standards and parallel multilateral,
regional and bilateral negotiations;
Technical assistance in the field of IP and
development;
Transfer of technology and technological capacity
building.
Dialogue on
Policy Options for Ensuring Affordable Access to Essential
Medicines (October 2004)
Latest developments and trends on IP and health;
Current efforts to develop Public Private Partnerships
(PPP) as to engage in wider R&D for neglected diseases;
Approaches to facilitate access to medicines
through compulsory licensing;
Creating and promoting domestic drug manufacturing
capacities: legal and economic feasibility assessment;
Competition policy as a tool to address public
health concerns. The case of South Africa.
The organizers have considered useful to make available all
the relevant material of the Dialogues including agendas, participant
lists, background papers, conclusions, and informal reports
of the meetings. One outcome of the Dialogues was the launching
of the Frati Initiative with the view of initiating a process
of follow-up and monitoring to the ideas and suggestions made
during the Dialogue.
