The World Intellectual Property Organization and WTO held a workshop on intellectual property protection and technology transfer on Monday, 17 November 2003, open to WIPO and WTO members and observer governments.

The workshop’s objective was to examine in depth evidence regarding the relation between intellectual property rights and the transfer of technology. Speakers and participants included a range of experts from both developed and developing countries.

The subjects discussed was: overview of the issues and evidence concerning intellectual property rights and transfer of technology; concepts and evidence; case studies; competition policy instruments, intellectual property rights and transfer of technology

Speakers included: Prof. Keith Maskus, Colorado University; Prof. François Dessemontet, University of Lausanne; Mr. Pedro Roffe, ICTSD; Dr. Beata Smarzynska, World Bank; Dr. Ashish Arora, Carnegie Mellon University; Mr. Thierry Sueur, Air Liquide, France; Dr. Maripaz Perez, Department of Science and Technology, Philippines; Dr. David Okongwu, NOTAP, Nigeria; Mr. Rodrigo Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Prof. Josef Drexl, University of Munich, Director, Max Planck Institute, Munich; Prof. Fred Abbott, Florida State University, College of Law; Mr. Joseph Seon Hur, Korea Fair Trade Commission.