Sixth Annual WIPO Forum on Intellectual Property and small and medium-sized enterprises for Intellectual Property Offices and other relevant institutions in the Organization for Economic cooperation and development (OECD) countries

Cardiff, Wales (September 10 and 11, 2008)

The World Intellectual Property Organization is organizing, in collaboration with the Welsh Government Assembly, the Sixth Annual Forum on Intellectual Property and SMEs for IP Offices and relevant institutions in the member countries of the OECD. The Forum will be held at the Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on September 10 and 11, 2008.

The Forum is a key event for IP Offices and relevant institutions to discuss and share experiences on the effective use of the IP system by innovators, creators, entrepreneurs and SMEs. The aim of the Forum is to provide an open and interactive platform to raise questions and to share experiences and views on matters concerning intellectual property for industry and business; in particular, the participants will discuss:

• IP related key issues relevant to entrepreneurship and competitiveness of SMEs;
• Share experiences on their outreach activities, special programs, services and products, and best practices on IP for innovators, creators, entrepreneurs and SMEs;
• Explore possibilities of cooperation and partnership in the outreach and marketing activities for greater and more effective use of the IP system for wealth creation.

The Forum is open only to Intellectual Property Offices and relevant Institutions. Participants, or their sponsoring institutions, have to finance fully their travel and accommodation costs to attend the Forum. Those interested in participating in the program may contact Mr. Marco Marzano de Marinis, SMEs Division, WIPO (e-mail: marco.marzano@wipo.int).