Dr Idris also congratulated negotiators for their foresight and commitment in bringing a crucial part of this process to a positive conclusion.

Negotiators from 93 member states and 40 observers, meeting from June 11 to 15, 2007 in the context of a forum that is looking at proposals to enhance the development dimension in WIPO’s work, agreed on a final list of proposals to be recommended for action to the WIPO General Assembly in September 2007, including the establishment of a new Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP).

“I am delighted with the positive outcome of these discussions. The breakthrough achieved on a number of difficult issues is testimony to the collective political will of negotiators to make meaningful progress and move these discussions forward,” announced Dr Idris.

He continued:

“This process and the spirit of compromise and mutual understanding in which it took place, is an important contribution to international efforts to promote the development of a balanced intellectual property system that is responsive to the needs and interests of all countries – developed and developing alike."

The Provisional Committee on Proposals Related to a WIPO Development Agenda (PCDA) reached agreement on a set of general principles and objectives covering five clusters of activities on the following themes:

• Cluster A: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building;
• Cluster B: Norm-setting, Flexibilities, Public Policy and Public Domain;
• Cluster C: Technology Transfer, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Access to Knowledge;
• Cluster D: Assessments, Evaluation and Impact Studies; and
• Cluster E: Institutional Matters Including Mandate and Governance.

In order to accelerate the implementation of the agreed proposals, the PCDA further decided to continue informal consultations on proposals that can be implemented immediately, following approval of the recommendations by the 2007 WIPO General Assembly later this year.

Member states also agreed to establish a Committee on Development and Intellectual Property composed of member states and open to the participation of all accredited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The new committee, to be convened in the first half of 2008, will adopt rules of procedure based on the WIPO General Rules of Procedure.

The number and duration of the meetings of the Committee are to be decided by the WIPO General Assembly. The mandate of the PCDA will not be renewed.

The draft report of the fourth session of the PCDA is open for comment until July 31. The PCDA will meet in a resumed session on September 4 to adopt the report of the June meeting.