The 58th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on September 24 (Photo: VNA) Geneva (VNA) – The 58th Series ofMeetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World IntellectualProperty Organisation (WIPO) opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on September 24under the chairmanship of Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’spermanent mission to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and otherinternational organisations in Geneva.
This is the first time Ambassador Dung held the chairmanship ofthe WIPO General Assembly for 2018-2019.
The 58th series of meetings attracted about1,200 delegates from 191 WIPO member states. The Vietnamese delegation is ledby Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac.
Addressing the opening ceremony, WIPO DirectorGeneral Francis Gurry said: “Intellectual property (IP) continues to grow ineconomic and social importance around the world. This increased prominence isbeing driven by rapid, profound and pervasive technological change, which isshaping the future of the economy and placing increasing value on knowledge inits economic and commercial expression as intangible assets.
“We see this change in the position of IPunfolding in many ways – in demand for IP rights, in attention to IP as a partof innovation and industrial strategy by both governments and enterprises, intrade discussions and in news and analysis within the media and the generalpublic”.
The increased worldwide demand for IP isreflected in positive growth rates in both the membership and use of WIPO’sGlobal IP Systems, the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the MadridSystem for marks and The Hague System for designs, as well as inthe use of the services of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center.
Gurry added: “Asia is now the dominant source ofall IP applications filed worldwide, accounting, on average across the variousIP rights, for over 60 percent of them.”
Admitting challenges in rule making, he calledon the member states to increase sharing knowledge and resolve outstandingquestions concerning the composition of the Coordination Committee and of theProgram and Budget Committee and relating to external offices.
The 58th series of meetings, scheduled to lastthrough October 2, will look into the proposed measures, convene high-levelnegotiations on the making of IP law, copyright and related rights, patents forinventions, trademarks, industrial design and geographical indications, amongothers.
Deputy Minister Tac said the Vietnamesedelegation will take an active part in the activities of the WIPO GeneralAssembly. This is also a chance for the country to enhance bilateralcooperation on IP through organising meetings and working sessions with othercountries and WIPO.
On this occasion, the National Office of IP ofVietnam under the Ministry of Science and Technology will sign some bilateralcooperation documents, including cooperation agreements with WIPO and the IPOffice of the UK and a cooperation plan for 2018-2019 with the Cuban IndustrialProperty Office.
He added that Ambassador Dung’s chairing of the58th series of meetings is a new milestone in Vietnam’s integration into WIPO,reflecting other member states’ recognition of the active performance of thecountry as well as the ambassador over the past years. The chairing will be adriving force for Vietnam to fulfill its responsibility towards the world’s IPsystem and further contribute to WIPO’s activities in the time ahead.-VNA
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