Recommendations on the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda proposals

During this process, ICC suggests that WIPO members keep the following in mind:

• The aim of these proposals is to ensure that the IP system helps stimulate development and progress in all WIPO member countries, as development is a concern for every country. Even in countries where the intellectual property system has been in place for some time, it is often not being used to its full potential.
• Implementation should be focused on specific practical measures and based, where possible, on lessons learnt from experiences in different countries. The intergovernmental nature of WIPO and its network of stakeholders would make it an ideal forum for the exchange of information on practical experiences.
• For implementation to be effective and timely, any implementation proposals should be realistic and achievable in relation to WIPO's resources and mandate.
• WIPO should not waste time and resources by reinventing the wheel but should use and build on existing work by other organizations. Work has been or is being done by other organizations, both in the public and the private sector, on several of the issues addressed in the proposals. It would be more efficient for WIPO and its member states to take stock of such work first to see if existing mechanisms are sufficient before deciding to start a separate initiative in the same area.
• While intellectual property protection is a necessary pre-condition of development in today’s knowledge based economy, it cannot work in a vacuum. Intellectual property protection has to be supported by sound economic management and other appropriate policies in areas such as education, science and technology, culture, taxes, investment regulations, production and technical incentives, trade, and competition. Governments also have to commit themselves to establishing an effective infrastructure to process and make use of intellectual property rights.