Conference addresses emerging research in intellectual property and digital innovation

Participants discussed research on emerging issues in areas such as AI, technology transfer, biotechnology, geographical indications and development, copyright in the digital environment, data protection, public health and trade secret protection.

The opening day began with a speech by WIPO Deputy Director-General Hasan Kleib. "Intellectual property (IP) is the bridge that turns ideas into tangible benefits for society. Researchers help ensure this by probing how IP ecosystems function in practice, identifying emerging challenges and informing evidence-based policy," said Mr Kleib.

"The work of IP researchers attending the IPRE will play a central role in achieving these kinds of outcomes and WIPO is proud to support them, so that innovation and creativity from anywhere can contribute to growth, opportunity and prosperity for all," he noted.

Breakout sessions focused on topics such as the impact of AI on copyright protections, transnational implementation of geographical indicators and trademarking cultural assets and technologies.

Day Two at the WTO began with a keynote address by Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill. She noted that "the great questions of economic growth, resilience and development are no longer only about capital, infrastructure or trade routes. Increasingly, they are also about knowledge: how it is created, how it circulates, how it is protected, and how societies ensure that innovation and creativity serve broader public purposes."

"IP frameworks play a fundamental role in enabling global trade in the new economy. Nowhere is this deep relationship expressed more clearly than in the TRIPS [Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights] Agreement," ( she continued.

DDG Hill noted that the TRIPS Agreement has provided a sturdy backdrop since its launch in 1994 but that new developments, particularly in AI, are causing fundamental shifts in IP law.

"Against this backdrop, the TRIPS Agreement remains an important pillar of stability and predictability. Its provisions continue to support innovation in diverse economies and in global trade. They are also foundational to cross-border technology transfer, investment, innovation and research networks. Experience shows that stability through predictable rules is key to progress. But we face an ongoing change - even disruption - in how innovation and creativity are generated and shared," she noted.

DDG Hill raised questions for researchers and policymakers to consider, such as how to encourage innovation and creativity, and ensure they thrive. And how members can support their domestic priorities and realities, while maintaining coherence with international rules.

"Trade, and digital trade in particular, can serve as an engine of growth and development. But these benefits are not automatic. They require investment, including in digital infrastructure, education and training. Without adequate domestic capacity, developing and fostering innovative and creative economies is not just difficult - it may not be possible at all," said DDG Hill.

She noted that the WTO is supporting members through extensive capacity building efforts and partnering with institutions such as the World Bank to identify and address members' soft and hard infrastructure gaps.

The address was followed by a panel discussion guided by Tanuja Garde, Director of the WTO's Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division.

Panelists included:

• H.E. Mrs. Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO
• H.E. M Erwin Bollinger, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the WTO
• H.E. Sra Marta Bonet Guerricabeitia, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Chile to the WTO
• Mme Emmanuelle Ivanov-Durand, Permanent Representative of France to the WTO

The discussion provided insights on the role that international IP rules, and the TRIPS Agreement in particular, play in members' domestic IP policy, and in the development of innovation and creativity in their economies.

Further breakout sessions looked at global regulation of fashion trademarks, protecting medical patents, AI and data governance, and artist copyrights in the digital age. These were followed by a fireside chat in which Robert Staiger, Director of the WTO's Economic Research and Statistics Division, discussed the most favoured nation principle with Tanuja Garde, Director of the WTO's Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division.