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Public Policy-related Assistance

IP is an important component of national development goals. In this connection it seems significant to highlight that the way IP is incorporated into national strategies may have a significant impact on the success in reaching those goals. At the multilateral, regional and national level there is enough space to adopt an IP system that, on the one hand, fulfills the international standards and obligations derived from the international legal framework (multilateral, regional or bilateral) and on the other, supports and promotes specific economic sectors or technology fields as well as attends to the particular needs thereof.

In this connection, IP nowadays is an integral component of many countries’ national development plans, which generates an increased demand of assistance in how to adopt, implement and adapt the international legal framework to respond in a better way to the needs and expectations of those countries. Among other areas in which an appropriate and balanced IP policy can play a significant role are: innovation promotion; transfer of technology; foreign direct investment; export promotion; trade; competitiveness; access to drugs; cultural creativity; cultural diversity; university-industry relationship; entrepreneurial opportunities; job creation.

WIPO assists its Member States in the identification of IP strategies and related flexibilities that can be adopted taking into account the different needs and specific public policies that each country wishes to address.

Since 2000, and in particular since the debate in the WTO TRIPS Council on access to public health has been launched, WIPO Member States have increasingly sought WIPO’s assistance and advice concerning the identification and the use of flexibilities that are available under international treaties, so as to enable them to seek those specific public policies in a way that is consistent with their international obligations.