What is the symposium about?

The symposium aims to enhance the capacity of the national judiciary on the policy and practice of disputes and other litigation on IP matters, particularly in areas relevant to the WTO TRIPS Agreement, and to highlight the key role of the courts in ensuring that countries derive the expected benefits from a balanced and effective IP system within the TRIPS framework.

Participants will deepen their practical understanding of the TRIPS Agreement and its implications, including its impact at the national level, and will review how it has been interpreted within the WTO's dispute settlement system. The symposium will serve as a forum for the exchange of experiences from a diverse array of national and regional IP jurisdictions, and will strengthen contacts between participants and the WTO Secretariat for continuing dialogue and cooperation.  

The provisional programme for the symposium is available here.

Who can apply?

Thirty places are available for applicants from WTO members and observers that are developing countries or economies in transition. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have served as a judge dealing with IP matters and the substantive law of IP for at least five years. In addition, applicants must have a law degree, and a specialization in IP law is desirable. Since the programme is highly interactive and will be conducted in English, applicants will need to be fluent in English.

How to apply

WTO members and observers eligible to benefit from WTO training activities are invited to submit nominations by 30 October 2017. Interested candidates may access the application form here.

All applications must be signed by the applicant and the nominating national authority. They can only be submitted via the permanent mission/embassy to the WTO.

Application forms should be sent by e-mail or fax to the WTO Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (E-mail: [email protected] or Fax: +41 22 739 5724).