(WIPO GA) (Geneva, 6-14 July 2023)
By Dr. Metka Potočnik (she/her/hers), Senior Lecturer in Law, Wolverhampton Law School
IIPSJ attended the 64th World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assemblies (GA), in their capacity as the WIPO Accredited Observer. IIPSJ attended the official hearings at the WIPO Headquarters in Geneva, with the Associate Director for International Programmes, Dr Metka Potočnik, attending the length of the proceedings in person. These assemblies brought together a record number of delegates, with over 1,200 delegates in attendance, which exceeded the pre-Covid numbers of attendance in the General Assemblies. A full list of participants is available here, and all the sessions are available for viewing here.
IIPSJ previously observed several WIPO meetings online and took this GA as an opportunity to create strategic partnerships with Member States and other stakeholders, interested in creating access, inclusion and empowerment for under-represented creators and innovators in the global eco-system. IIPSJ representative attended the 10th WIPO-NGO Stakeholder Dialogue, which was organised in parallel with the 64th WIPO GA and took place on Monday, 10 July 2023, at WIPO New Building. WIPO Director General Tang and other WIPO experts met with over 40 Accredited Observers and NGOs, in discussing important issues, which require a multi-stakeholder response. The event has been placed in the spotlight for its importance, and more can be read here.
IIPSJ is aiming to contribute to the future discussions in WIPO, with the aim of building a more inclusive WIPO eco-system. The IIPSJ team are working towards a meaningful participation in the 44th Session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCRR) (see here) and the 31st Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) (see here). If you are interested in contributing to IIPSJ work in this space, do contact the IIPSJ directly.
