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Member States Discuss Proposals for 2004-2005 Biennium

Geneva, May 2, 2003
Press Releases PR/2003/347

Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) attending the Program and Budget Committee in Geneva from April 29 to May 1, 2003 made headway in discussions on the Organization's proposed program and budget for the 2004-2005 financial period and agreed to pursue consultations before final approval of the document in September 2003. In line with the vision of the Organization to promote intellectual property (IP) as a tool for economic social and cultural development, activities in 2004-2005 will concentrate on yielding specific, tailored outcomes and tangible deliverables which play a direct role in the strategic use of the IP system for economic development and social benefit.

The proposed budget for the 2004-2005 financial period amounts to 655,400,000 Swiss Francs (SFr) reflecting a 2.5% decrease (16,800,000 SFr) on the revised budget for 2002-2003 which stands at 672,200,000 SFr. The reduction is proposed despite an increase in the level of activities, in particular of WIPO's global protection systems - mechanisms which facilitate the international filing and registration of rights, including, patents, trademarks and industrial designs. The budget decrease is possible thanks to the completion of major infrastructure projects in the area of information technology and buildings during 2002-2003. The phasing out of the corresponding funding requirements and efficiency gains derived from the infrastructure investments which will become apparent as of 2004.

In addressing delegates, Mr. Philippe Petit, WIPO Deputy Director General, pointed to the rapid evolution of intellectual property and its growing strategic importance in boosting international trade and promoting the economic advancement of every country. Mr. Petit said that the proposals continued to build on the initiatives launched by Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris, since 1997. He said that the program was both ambitious and focused on well defined objectives which aimed to foster effective use of the intellectual property system to bring about development and generate tangible results through coordinated program delivery. He also expressed the Organization's commitment, through transparent, open and constructive debate with member states, to refine and improve WIPO's results-based management framework, introduced in 1997, in line with the experiences of the past six years.

The central theme of the proposals is the translation of WIPO's vision of IP as a powerful tool for economic, social and cultural development into a reality through the provision of concrete assistance and specific deliverables. The proposals outline measures to provide policy and practical support for the diverse needs of member states through a consolidated program of activities to support strategic goals. This marks a decisive shift towards capitalizing on WIPO's past substantial investment in legal, technical and administrative infrastructure of the last three biennia. In this refocusing exercise, WIPO's activities will concentrate more fully on the creation of an IP culture that enables all stakeholders to play their distinct roles within a coherent, strategic whole and to realize the potential of IP as a tool for economic, social and cultural development by maintaining an effective, balanced IP system, built on greater understanding of the system and lower entry barriers for its use. WIPO's activities will assist governments of member States to integrate IP components into their national policy priorities including macro-economic policies and will empower the actual players driving knowledge-based economies, such as small and medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurs and creators, by providing assistance and a range of services to enable their active and astute use of IP.

Particular emphasis will be given to the global protection systems and services (PCT, Madrid, the Hague and Lisbon systems) in 2004-2005. Further development in the services and coverage of the PCT and Madrid systems is planned. These are strategically important vehicles representing one of the most concrete ways WIPO supports users of the IP system worldwide, ensuring that the benefits of IP protection can be enjoyed by a greater range of constituencies and enabling wider participation in the creation of an IP culture.

The Program and Budget Committee concluded its meeting by welcoming the elaboration of the proposals for the 2004-2005 biennium and decided to continue informal consultations to work towards agreement on the allocation of resources to the various programs, ahead of its next meeting in September 2003. During the current session of the Committee a number of delegations requested more resources for certain programs and others favoured a reduction in PCT fees. It is expected that the Program and Budget Committee will submit its final recommendation to the member States of the WIPO Assembly at its annual meeting in Geneva from September 22 to October 1, 2003.

For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO +41 22 338 81 61/338 9547 or publicinf@wipo.int.

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