The General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) met from 22-30 September 2008, in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting appointed Australian national Francis Gurry as the next Director General of WIPO. He outlined his priorities for the future and called for “concrete outcomes” to negotiations relating to genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. With regard to the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), the General Assembly noted the work under the Committee on the analysis of gaps in the protection available for traditional cultural expressions/expressions of folklore and for traditional knowledge. Delegates also noted the IGC’s decision to update and re-issue working documents on the protection of genetic resources for in-depth discussion at its next session, and the invitation for intersessional commentary on the issue of genetic resources.
With a view to accelerating the Committee’s work, in line with its mandate, the next session of the IGC, to be held from 13-17 October 2008, will consider establishing intersessional mechanisms to build on the progress achieved so far in a structured and focused manner. Member states also welcomed the further successful implementation of the WIPO Voluntary Fund for Indigenous and Local Communities, noting that it had significantly enhanced the depth and diversity of representation in the IGC process. During the meeting, developing countries, in particular the African Group, reaffirmed their long-standing demand for an international binding instrument to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and expressions of folklore, making reference to regional instruments recently concluded in Africa with this objective.
Links to further information
WIPO Press Release, 1 October 2008
Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest, 2 October 2008
Bridges Trade BioRes, 3 October 2008