WIPO New York Office

Established over thirty years ago as a small liaison office to the United Nations, the WIPO Coordination Office in New York was, in 1998, expanded and given additional responsibilities.  The Office was additionally tasked with conducting outreach activities to the intellectual property community, professional bodies and universities in the United States.

Mandate

The World Intellectual Property Organization Coordination Office in New York has a dual mandate: first to represent WIPO in the UN and to raise awareness among the United Nations member States, the UN Secretariat and civil society about the activities of WIPO.  In turn, the Office has the responsibility to inform WIPO Headquarters about major issues in the UN particularly those dealing with intellectual property matters, development and the UN common system.  A second mandate of the office is informing and collaborating with United States IP community, non-governmental organizations and universities about the activities of WIPO.  Through collaboration with IP professional bodies and institutions the Coordination Office promotes the use of WIPO services.  To this end the office undertakes a regular survey of US IP law, policy, judicial decisions and executive actions in the form of the US IP Weekly.  All reports of the Office are normally sent to the supervisory body of the Coordination Office at Headquarters.

Objectives

• The Coordination Office promotes the role and contribution of policy dialogue and global challenges at the UN;
• Promotes increased visibility and engagement of WIPO with the UN system as a whole;
• Significantly raises WIPO’s profile in UN circles;
• Reports to Geneva Headquarters on the important meetings of the UN in New York, particularly the UN General Assembly, Summit level meetings, social and economic Development, International Trade Related meetings, matters on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, Public Health and other global challenges and the MDGs.