[A2k] SAVE THE DATE: TACD Conference "The reform of WIPO: Implementing the Development Agenda" - Sept 17 Geneva

[Julian Knott]

Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD)
The Reform of WIPO : Implementing the Development Agenda

17 September 2007

International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG)
(17 Rue de Varembe, CH 1211 Geneva 20)

In mid-September 2004 the TACD hosted the first Future of World Intellectua=
l Property Organization (WIPO) Meeting in Geneva. That meeting brought toge=
ther leading experts and stakeholders from academia, industry, NGOs, and go=
vernments, as well as members of the WIPO secretariat, to discuss the futur=
e of this United Nations Agency. In short, those gathered then examined wha=
t the mission of WIPO was and what it ought to be. At that years' WIPO Gene=
ral Assembly, in response to a proposal by Argentina and Brazil co-sponsore=
d by 12 other developing countries and spurred on by the discussions at the=
 said TACD meeting among other events, WIPO Member States decided to examin=
e proposals on establishing a development agenda for WIPO.

The Development Agenda was adopted by WIPO Member States at the Provisional=
 Committee on Proposals Related to a WIPO Development Agenda(PCDA) during i=
ts February and June 2007 sessions. PCDA recommendations are at http://www.=
wipo.int/ip-development/en/agenda/pcda07_session4.html. These recommendatio=
ns will be adopted by the WIPO General Assembly, its highest-governing body=
 in September/October 2007.

Almost exactly three years later in 2007, TACD is convening "The Reform of =
WIPO: Implementing the Development Agenda" a week before the WIPO General A=
ssembly to re-invigorate the community of Member States, academia, civil so=
ciety, global experts and industry to take stock of the Development Agenda =
with a view to discuss the content and the implementation of the Agenda and=
 what that means for the future of WIPO.

Preliminary Conference Programme

8h30 - 9h00: Registration

9h00 - 9h15: Welcome and Introduction
TACD Representative

9h15 - 10h50: Panel I: WIPO in the 21st Century: Looking back and looking f=
orward

10h50 - 11h15: Coffee Break

11h15 - 13h00 Panel II: Implementing the AGENDA - The Framework for
Norm-Setting, Evaluation and Impact Assessment

13h00 - 14h30: Lunch Break

14h30 - 16h05 Panel III: Implementing the AGENDA - The Reform of
Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

16h05 - 16h30 Coffee Break

16h30 - 18h00: Panel IV: Implementing the AGENDA - Access to Knowledge and =
Alternative Models

18h00 - 18h15: Closing

18h15: Cocktail


Speakers include:

Ahmed Abdel Latif - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt (Confirmed)
Alwin Sixman, Consumentenbond
Carlos Correa - University of Buenos Aires (TBC)
Carolyn Deere - Oxford University (Confirmed)
Charles Clift - DFID (TBC)
Ellen 't Hoen - MSF/Amsterdam University (Confirmed)
Frederick Abbott - Florida State University (Tentative)
Graham Dutfield - University of Leeds (Confirmed)
Group B country representative (TBC)
Guilherme Patriota - Permanent Mission of Brazil in Geneva (Confirmed)
Gwen Hinze - EFF (Confirmed)
James Love - KEI (Confirmed)
Manon Ress, KEI (TBC)
Maximilliano Santa Cruz - Permanent Mission of Chile in Geneva
(Tentative)
Pedro Roffe - ICTSD (Tentative)
Representative of Third World Network (Confirmed)
Representative of WIPO (TBC)
Rishab Aisher Ghosh - UNU-MERIT (Confirmed)
Robin Gross - IP Justice (Confirmed)
Ron Marchant (Confirmed)
Sisule F. Musungu - University of Berne & Yale Law School (Confirmed)
Tenu Avafia - UNDP, South Africa (Confirmed)
Tilman Lueder - European Commission (Confirmed)
Tim Hubbard-Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Confirmed)
Tony Taubman -WIPO (Confirmed)
World Bank Representative (TBC)


Julian Knott
TACD Coordinator
Consumers International
24 Highbury Crescent
London N5 1RX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7226 6663 Ext. 218
Mob: +44 781 3965 567
Fax: +44 20 7354 0607
www.consumersinternational.org
www.consumidoresint.org

Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voi=
ce for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we a=
re building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and =
empower consumers everywhere. For more information, visit www.consumersinte=
rnational.org

Register now - Consumers International World Congress 2007: Holding Corpora=
tions to Account. This year's congress will be held in Sydney, Australia, f=
rom 29 October to 1 November. You can find out more and register online at =
www.consumersinternational.org/congress