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WIPO Assemblies Close with New Direction for Organization’s Future Work

Geneva, October 9, 2019
PR/2019/837

Delegates from WIPO’s 192 member states closed their 2019 Assemblies meetings with agreement on the Organization’s work program and related budget for the 2020-21 biennium, while WIPO’s intellectual property (IP)-related treaties attracted nearly a dozen new adherents.

Over 1,200 delegates met September 30 – October 9, 2019, for negotiations on a wide range of issues related to the WIPO-administered international IP framework, which supports the creation and cross-border flow of innovative and creative works that improve lives everywhere.

Delegates approved the WIPO program and budget for the 2020-21 biennium. During that period, revenue is projected to rise to CHF 882.8 million, a 6.4% increase over the previous biennium, while expenditures are expected to total 768.4 million, leaving a projected surplus of CHF 95.8 million.

“We are implementing significant changes to improve the efficiency of our operations, capitalizing on new technologies to adapt to a rapidly evolving global knowledge economy where intellectual property rights play an increasingly central role,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. “I welcome member states’ approval of the future work program for the WIPO Secretariat,” he said.

As negotiations continued, member states took the opportunity to join WIPO’s treaties, with 11 new accessions or ratifications among WIPO’s 26 treaties (in chronological order of deposit):

Among their work during the WIPO Assemblies, delegates (in order of the Agenda):

WIPO member states organized a series of events and exhibitions, including (in chronological order) those hosted by Viet Nam, Russia, Finland, Italy, the Philippines, Thailand and Ukraine.

The General Assembly was chaired by Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, Viet Nam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva. In closing remarks, he thanked delegations for their active engagement throughout the Assemblies.

About WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the United Nations agency that serves the world’s innovators and creators, ensuring that their ideas travel safely to the market and improve lives everywhere.

We do so by providing services that enable creators, innovators and entrepreneurs to protect and promote their intellectual property (IP) across borders and acting as a forum for addressing cutting-edge IP issues. Our IP data and information guide decisionmakers the world over. And our impact-driven projects and technical assistance ensure IP benefits everyone, everywhere.

For more information, please contact the News and Media Division at WIPO:
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