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OECS Secretariat and WIPO Sign Cooperation Agreement

Contact: Julita Peter

Thursday, March 14, 2002 - The OECS Secretariat and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have signed a cooperation agreement to formalise the relationship that currently exists between the two parties. During the signing ceremony on Thursday, March 14, Acting Director General of the OECS Secretariat George Goodwin indicated that whilst the Secretariat has benefited immensely from various areas of assistance from WIPO, the agreement would seek to give structure to the way things are done.

The cooperation agreement will assist member states in meeting their obligations under various conventions pertaining to intellectual property rights. It is also hoped that the agreement will allow easier accessibility to WIPO’s International Bureau for Cooperation and Development.

According to Ernesto Rubio, Director for the World Intellectual Property Organization Bureau for Cooperation and Development, “The greatest challenge for WIPO is making intellectual property a powerful tool for economic, social and cultural development.”

He added that at there is no doubt that intellectual property has become a powerful driver for economic growth by stimulating creativity, innovation and generating revenue, but a gap continues to exist between developed and developing countries in terms of intellectual property asset, ownership and use.

“And that is why WIPO has launched a vast campaign to demystify intellectual property, making it more accessible to all,” he said

The agreement will take effect in September 2002. Recently WIPO put into effect a new international copyright treaty. The treaty is one of two, known as WIPO Internet treaties, which have been ratified by 30 states. The second is expected to come into effect shortly.

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