See also KEI webpage on WIPO Development Agenda

February 20-24, 2006: CPTech Page on the First Session of the Provisional Committee on Proposals Related to the WIPO Development Agenda (PCDA).

On October 4, 2004, the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization agreed to adopt a proposal offered by Argentina and Brazil, the Proposal for the Establishment of a Development Agenda for WIPO. This proposal was strongly supported by developing countries, as well as by a large contingent of civil society. Prior to the General Assembly meeting, hundreds of nonprofits, scientists, academics and other individuals had signed the Geneva Declaration on the Future of WIPO, which calls on WIPO to focus more on the needs of developing countries, and to view IP as one of many tools for development - not as an end in itself.

Documents Relating to the WIPO Approval of the Development Agenda

• October 4, 2004. WIPO General Assembly Decision on a Development Agenda.
• Proposal by Argentina and Brazil for the Establishment of a Development Agenda for WIPO:
  • English version
  • French version
  • Spanish version
• Related CPTech Pages
  • Geneva Declaration on the Future of WIPO. Includes the text of the declaration in six different languages, as well as statements and news stories on the declaration.
  • CPTech Page on Access to Knowledge (A2K) Includes information from the Feb 3-4, 2005 Experts meeting on the WIPO Development Agenda and a Treaty on Access to Knowledge, as well as background materials.

• Many of these documents, as well as other related information, can be found in French at Debat Public, and can be found in Spanish at CPSR - Perú.

• 11 April 2005 to 13 April 2005. Geneva, Switzerland IIM/1 - Intersessional Intergovernmental Meeting (IIM).
• 14 April 2005 to 15 April 2005. Permanent Committee on Cooperation for Development Related to Intellectual Property : Fourth Session.
• 2 May 2005 to 3 May 2005. Geneva, Switzerland. International Seminar on Intellectual Property and Development.
• 20 June 2005 to 22 June 2005. Geneva, Switzerland. IIM/2 - Intersessional Intergovernmental Meeting (IIM).

• October 4, 2004. WIPO General Assembly Decision on a Development Agenda.
• October 4, 2004. Press release. Member States Agree to Further Examine Proposal on Development.
• WIPO Page on its 31st General Assembly
• WIPO Convention (see Articles 3 and 4 in particular)
• Agreement between the United Nations and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

• Proposal by Argentina and Brazil for the Establishment of a Development Agenda for WIPO:
  • English version
  • French version
  • Spanish version
• February 18, 2005. Sophie in 't Veld, Dutch MEP. Questions to the European Commission on the WIPO Development Agenda.
• October 1, 2004. Intervention by India on the discussion of the WIPO development agenda. Statement by Debabrata Saha, Deputy Permanent Representative of India.
• September 30, 2004. Statement by the Delegation of Brazil on Item 12: Proposal for the Establishment of a Development Agenda for WIPO.

• August 19, 2005. Sisule F Musungu. TRIPS Issues Paper no. 5, published by the Quaker International Affairs Programme. Rethinking innovation, development and intellectual property in the UN: WIPO and beyond.
• March 24, 2005. Sangeeta Shashikant for the SUNS South-North Development Monitor. US draft paper counters Development Agenda in WIPO.
• October 6, 2004. Consumers International. World Consumer Bodies Welcome WIPO Initiatives. (MS Word format)
• October 4, 2004. Civil Society Coalition. Statement on WIPO Decision to Advance a Development Agenda
• October 4, 2004. Martin Khor for the SUNS Development Monitor. WIPO to convene meetings on development agenda.
• September 30, 2004. Ellen t' Hoen for Medecins Sans Frontieres. Statement by MSF at WIPO General Assembly.
• September 29, 2004. Kanaga Raja for SUNS Development Monitor. NGOs support a 'Development Agenda' for WIPO.
• September 29, 2004. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. The IFLA position on the Geneva Declaration on the Future of WIPO.
• September, 2004. Martin Khor for the Third World Network. NGOs, Scientists and Academics Call for Major Reform of Intellectual Property System.

Background Readings

• September 8, 2004. James Boyle. Duke Law and Technology Review. 0009. Manifesto on WIPO and the Future of Intellectual Property.
• June, 2004. Jerome Reichman and Keith Maskus in the Journal of International Economic Law Volume 7, Issue 2, 279-320. The Globalization of Private Knowledge.
• March, 2004. South Centre Analytical Note. A Development Agenda for Intellectual Property Negotiations in 2004 and Beyond.
• 2003. Sisule Musungu & Graham Dutfield. Quaker United Nations Office, TRIPS Paper #3. Multilateral agreements and a TRIPS-plus world: The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
• July 7, 2003. Sign-on letter from 69 scientists and economists to Kamil Idris, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization requesting that WIPO host a meeting on open and collaborative development.

News Stories

• August-Sepember 2005, Pedro de Paranagua Moniz and Barbara Rosenberg ICTSD-Pontes, OMPI e Propriedade Intelectual: a batalha entre acesso a conhecimento e apropriacao.
• April 25, 2005. Michael Geist in the Toronto Star. We Can Help Bridge the Digital Divide.
• April 15, 2005. William New for IP-Watch. Reform Debate Trips Up WIPO Development Aid Meeting.
• April 6, 2005. William New for IP-Watch. WIPO Development Agenda: Developing Countries Submit New Proposals.
• April 4, 2005. William New for IP-Watch. Debate Heats Up Over WIPO Development Agenda.
• March 10, 2005. Teresa Hackett for EDRI-gram. Geneva meeting on access to knowledge.
• October 18, 2004. Mark Ward for the BBC. The fight for your right to share.
• October 15, 2004. Gustavo Capdevila for the Inter Press Service. South Gains Ground in Intellectual Property Debate.
• October 15, 2004. Chee Yoke Heong for the Asia Times. Putting the brakes on intellectual property rights.
• October 15, 2004. Op-ed by Tom Giovanetti in the Washington Times. Intellectual property and its discontents.
• October 6, 2004. William New for National Review's Tech Daily. WIPO Agrees To Development Agenda.
• October 5, 2004. Frances Williams for the Financial Times. WIPO to Heed Concerns of the Poor.
• October 5, 2004. Matt Whipp for PC Pro News. UN body promises greater recognition for open source licencing.
• September 30, 2004. Frances Williams for the Financial Times. Development needs 'override intellectual property protection'.
• September 29, 2004. Associated Press. NGOs: UN Should Relax Protection for Intellectual Property to Help Developing Countries.
• September 29, 2004. Juliana Cézar Nunes (translated by Allen Bennett) in Brazzil.com. Brazil Wants New Rules for Intellectual Property .
• September 22, 2004. William New for the National Journal's Tech Daily. Consumer Groups Urge Change At WIPO.
• September 20, 2004. Florent Latrive, Liberation, Propriété intellectuelle: les pays du Dud se rebellent.
• September 14, 2004. Frances Williams for the Financial Times. Clash likely on intellectual property rights.
• September 14, 2004. Washington Internet Daily. Consumer Groups Press WIPO to Shift Focus from IP Rights to Human Rights.
• September 13, 2004. Associated Press (Brazil). Ativistas acusam ag�ncia da ONU de favorecer os ricos.
• September 8, 2004. Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest. Argentina and Brazil Propose "Development Agenda" for WIPO.