World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

South Centre Statement – WIPO ACE 17, 4 February 2025

Statement in Support of Discussions on Counterfeiting in the Biotechnology Sector and the Prevention of Biopiracy
WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE)

Today at the 17th Session of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE), the South Centre delivered its statement, emphasizing the need to prevent biopiracy while addressing counterfeiting in the biotechnology sector. A balanced IP enforcement approach is key to protecting biodiversity & traditional knowledge.

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Policy Brief 134, 28 January 2025

The WIPO Development Agenda: Progress and Challenges in 2025

By Nirmalya Syam

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Development Agenda (DA), adopted in 2007, seeks to align intellectual property (IP) policies with the development priorities of member States. Enduring challenges persist despite some progress including the adoption of treaties to facilitate access to copyright protected works for visually impaired and print disabled persons, and the recent treaty on IP, genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, and the adoption of several projects for implementing different DA recommendations. DA projects, however, have had limited impact on mainstreaming a development orientation in WIPO, there is limited promotion of use of IP flexibilities for development, and WIPO’s technical assistance continues to lack a development orientation. There is also a sustained absence of consideration and reporting of development related issues across WIPO bodies. Divergent interpretations of “development”, weak coordination and monitoring systems, and governance inequities have hindered the DA’s transformative potential. This brief examines these issues and advances recommendations to address the challenges to establish an effective DA.

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South Centre Statement to the 49th WIPO IGC Session, 2 December 2024

South Centre Statement to the 49th WIPO IGC Session

2 December 2024

We support the work by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) to contribute to a more inclusive and just international intellectual property system and sustainable development.

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Policy Brief 132, 8 November 2024

Towards a Balanced WIPO Design Law Treaty (DLT) for Developing Countries

By Nirmalya Syam

The WIPO Design Law Treaty (DLT) aims to harmonize and simplify global industrial design registration procedures, encourage digital applications and reduce costs. While the reforms required by the DLT could boost efficiency, they will mainly benefit enterprises from developed countries with resources to secure global design rights. This policy brief highlights the key concerns for developing countries, particularly the treaty’s potential impacts on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and indigenous communities. It advocates for critical adjustments in the DLT negotiation texts to allow for policy space in the DLT – binding technical assistance, flexible grace periods, enabling disclosure of the origin and source of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions used in designs that are sought to be registered, and optional divisional and electronic filing provisions.

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SouthViews No. 276, 29 October 2024

Can international law promote innovation from genetic resources and benefit sharing while recognizing the rights of traditional knowledge holders?

By Henry de Novion

Indigenous peoples and local communities have been innovating for millennia and contributing to the development of new products and processes. For international law to promote innovation, it is indispensable to promote indigenous peoples and local communities’ rights to prior informed consent, to benefit sharing, and to guaranteeing their territories, culture, and existence.

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South Centre Statement – 65th WIPO Assemblies, 10 July 2024

South Centre Statement to the Sixty-Fifth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO (2024)

 10 July 2024

At the WIPO Assemblies 2024, the South Centre calls for rapid adherence to  the WIPO Treaty on IP, Genetic Resources & Associated Traditional Knowledge, for the revision in this regard of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, for advancing the agenda on copyright L&Es and for upholding the WIPO Development Agenda.

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Policy Brief 131, 3 July 2024

Understanding the New WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge

By Nirmalya Syam and Carlos M. Correa

A new WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge was adopted on 24 May 2024. The treaty creates an international obligation for patent applicants to disclose the source or origin of genetic resources (GRs) and associated traditional knowledge (TK) in patent applications. This development marks a significant step towards mitigating the misappropriation of GRs and TK, particularly benefiting developing countries that have long advocated for such a framework. While the treaty establishes minimum standards for disclosure and sanctions, it permits contracting parties considerable flexibility in implementation and opens avenues for future expansion of its scope to address emerging technologies and derivative products.

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SC Statement – WIPO Diplomatic Conference on GRs & Associated TK, 13-24 May 2024

STATEMENT

Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge

Geneva, May 13-24, 2024

The South Centre at WIPO Diplomatic Conference urges strong improvements in Basic Proposal for IP and genetic resources treaty: clear minimum standards for patent disclosure, digital sequence information inclusion & WIPO website for monitoring claims. Searching consensus must not impede this vital treaty to incorporate effective measures against misappropriation.

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Policy Brief 129, 7 May 2024

The WIPO Diplomatic Conference for a Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge

By Viviana Muñoz Tellez

A new international legal instrument is set to be concluded under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in May 2024. Its legal nature should be that of an international treaty, given that a Diplomatic Conference, the last treaty making stage, will be held for its conclusion. The purpose of the instrument (hereinafter “the Treaty”) is to create an international minimum standard for patent applicants to provide information concerning the origin or source of the genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources as part of the patent application process. This Policy Brief provides an overview of the rationale for the Treaty and of the process and substantive issues to be negotiated, and advances recommendations towards ensuring a successful conclusion of the Diplomatic Conference.

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South Centre Annual Report 2023

South Centre Annual Report 2023

The South Centre carries out multiple activities to support developing countries with policy-oriented research, inputs and advice for negotiations and capacity building. See a summary of the South Centre’s activities in the Annual Report 2023.

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