On 17 July 2025, Director of the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) Agris Batalauskis was elected to the position of the First Vice-Chair of the General Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for the years 2026 and 2027.
The WIPO General Assembly is conducted by a Chair and two Vice-Chairs - representatives of the member states of WIPO.
The elections were organized at the 66th session of the WIPO General Assemblies, which took place from 8 to 17 July in Geneva.
The WIPO General Assembly is one of the most important governing bodies of WIPO. It acts as the main political and decision-making body, determining WIPO's general policy, making decisions on the Organization's budget, programs, and the development of IP legislation.
The General Assembly takes place once a year at WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Its main tasks include approving WIPO's budget, appointing the Director General, and administering various international treaties, such as the Berne Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The General Assembly may also establish working groups and determine future policy directions.