WTO: 2009 NEWS ITEMS

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On October 5 and 6, 2009 the government officials will be at the WIPO headquarters and from October 7 to 9, 2009 at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.

Participants are from the following countries: Albania, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Georgia, Germany, Jordan, Kenya, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka and the European Union.

The main objective of the course is to update participating government officials on the activities and instruments of the WIPO and the WTO and to provide a forum for an exchange of information and ideas between them and the two secretariats on these matters. The course addresses a range of topics, including: an overview of international policy and law in intellectual property; the negotiating background of the TRIPS Agreement and an overview on subsequent developments; intellectual property and economic development; the WIPO development agenda; overviews of the current international landscape in copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs, geographical indications and patents; WTO Dispute Settlement and TRIPS; IP Global issues; TRIPS and public health; innovation and intellectual property; intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore; the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity; and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

The WIPO-WTO Advanced Course on IP represents a significant step in work-sharing on a global scale and extends the growing need of IP knowledge, which will increase quality knowledge in IP management on global IP issues while building economic growth in the countries concerned. With the IP knowledge imparted to them in this advanced course, the participants will work with their IP officials and other stakeholders to attain efficiency and higher use and management of IP.

This advanced course builds on the success of the WIPO-WTO Colloquium for teachers of intellectual property which has been held annually since 2004. It is also a valuable addition to the other human resources development programs offered by WIPO and the WTO.

This advanced course also forms part of the Geneva-based component of the WTO's training and capacity-building program, which also comprises 3-month trade policy courses, 3-week introduction courses for government officials from least-developed countries and advanced thematic courses on other topics, including dispute settlement, technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

On October 9, 2009 Mr. Pascal Lamy, Director-General WTO, will address the participants at the closing ceremony for this advanced course.

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