[A2k] US Statement at WIPO General Assembly

[James Love]

Thiru and I have been reporting on the WIPO General Assembly on twitter
(http://twitter.com/jamie_love and http://www.twitter.com/thirugeneva
and also on the KEI blog: http://www.keionline.org/blog

The following is a copy of 1st statement by the U.S. government.  Jamie


http://keionline.org/node/598

U.S. general statement at 2009 WIPO GA

By James Love
24 Sep 2009

The following is the statement that the United States asked be included
in the record for Agenda item 5 (General Statements) of the 2009 WIPO
General Assembly.

---------------------------------------------------
World Intellectual Property Organization
Assemblies of the Member States
September 22 to October 1, 2009

AGENDA ITEM 5: General Statements

DOCUMENT: None

BACKGROUND:

Under this agenda item, Member States normally give general
remarks/opening statements that comment on the work of WIPO and often
highlight domestic developments and initiatives. These statements also
often stake out positions on important agenda items before the
Assemblies. This year, general statements will be preceded by
ministerial statements in what is being termed as a high-level segment.

US POSITION:

The United States should deliver general remarks drawing on the talking
points below as appropriate.

TALKING POINTS: (as appropriate)

* Thank you Mr. Chairman. First, we would like to join the previous
speakers in congratulating you on your election as President of the WIPO
General Assembly, and also your vice-chairs. We are confident that you
will ably guide our discussions this week.

* The U.S. delegation would also like to thank the International Bureau
of WIPO for its hard work in preparing for these meetings. The
documentation before us is well drafted and comprehensive.
We support the statement made by the distinguished delegate of Germany
on behalf of Group B.
General

* Throughout the first half of 2009, WIPO=E2=80=99s ongoing strategic
re-alignment process has worked to reform the Organization=E2=80=99s progra=
ms,
resources and structures with a new set of strategic goals. These have
enabled WIPO to respond more effectively to the rapidly evolving
technological, cultural and geo-economic environment, as well as to
respond to the urgent global challenges of today, which IP can have a
role in addressing.

* While the U.S. continues to be supportive of goals that have been the
focus of WIPO for years, such as a balanced evolution of the
international normative framework for IP, facilitating the use of IP for
development, and provision of premier global IP services, we are also
supportive of new goals that have emerged. These include a renewed focus
on building respect for IP; developing global IP infrastructure;
responsive communication; becoming the world reference source for IP
information; and addressing IP in relation to global policy challenges,
such as climate change, public health and food security.

* At a time when governments and businesses around the globe are
struggling with economic difficulties, the U.S. also realizes it is more
important than ever that WIPO continue to work to maintain tight fiscal
discipline in the budget, and to include initiatives to eliminate
duplication, cut costs and increase efficiencies. For all of these
reasons, the U.S. supports DG Gurry=E2=80=99s efforts to reform WIPO and br=
ing
in a new era of good governance, accountability and transparency.

* We are pleased that staffing adjustments and other streamlining
efforts have been made in response to the recommendations in the 2007
Price Waterhouse Coopers desk-to-desk audit, and we look forward to
further WIPO efforts to address the issues raised in the audit.

* The U.S. plans to continue to work with Member States and Director
General Gurry to assist in the creation of a better functioning, more
effective World Intellectual Property Organization that will improve its
substantive work; establish its primacy on IPR policy issues in the UN;
and increase its IPR-related development activities, while making sure
staffing and spending are streamlined, and respect for IPR continues to
be the major emphasis of the organization.

Outreach Division:

* The U.S. is increasing our coordination on IPR outreach with WIPO=E2=80=
=99s
Communications and Outreach Section, and with several WIPO member
countries. We believe that improved awareness and education about the
use and protection of IP is critical for improving the IPR system, and
we are working with WIPO to better connect Member States, NGOs, the
private sector and U.S. officials engaged in IPR outreach efforts.

USPTO Specifics:

* With regard to the work of IP offices, the U.S. believes that Global
Worksharing is key to helping us meet the increasing challenge of
efficiently managing the workloads faced by offices throughout the
world, while at the same time delivering the highest possible quality.

* The USPTO currently has a number of worksharing projects underway with
international offices. For example, the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
framework is one important step toward the goal of maximizing
reutilization of work done by other offices.

* We are looking to increase participation in these worksharing projects
by orders of magnitude so that we can truly see the benefits of
worksharing, including genuine time and cost savings for applicants as
well as patent offices worldwide.

     - How? By looking for and removing unnecessary burdens for
participation; by finding new office-led worksharing initiatives; and by
listening to our applicants for new and better ways to reutilize the
work of other offices.

*  With regard to the Patent Cooperation Treaty =E2=80=93

    -  To accomplish the goal of reutilizing work and maximizing the use
of PCT work products, we recently has established a PCT Task Force
within the USPTO that is looking into how the PCT can function more
effectively.
    -  For the USPTO to maximize its timeliness and quality, the Task
Force will examine the USPTO=E2=80=99s actions as receiving Office,
International Searching Authority, and International Preliminary
Examination Authority.
    -  With the Task Force=E2=80=99s review of our procedures, and input fr=
om
PCT applicants and others, we hope to improve the USPTO=E2=80=99s PCT opera=
tions
internally, as well as have further ideas on how to improve the PCT as a
whole.

* We are aiming to integrate the PCT into all of our worksharing
efforts, including Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) and SHARE.

Copyright Office Specifics

* The U.S. Copyright Office and WIPO are jointly planning an
International Training program in Washington, D.C. for developing
countries and countries in transition on emerging issues in copyright
and related rights pertaining to blind and visually impaired persons.

* The agenda will include training on the relevant international legal
and business frameworks, case studies on existing exceptions for VIP
worldwide, technical standards for accessible materials, the role of
trusted intermediaries, market considerations, and information reports
on the Word Blind Union treaty proposal and WIPO's stakeholders
platform.

Mr. Chairman, be assured that the United States will constructively
engage in our discussions this week with the aim of finding outcomes
that are acceptable to all WIPO Member States.

We wish you every success in your role as Chairman of this Assembly.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

WIPO

--
James Love, Director, Knowledge Ecology International
http://www.keionline.org | mailto:james.love at keionline.org
Wk: +1.202.332.2670 | US Mobile +1.202.361.3040 | Geneva Mobile +41.76.413.=
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