The Fifty-Ninth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies took place at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) headquarters in Geneva, from September 30 to October 9, 2019, chaired by Vietnam's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Duong Chi Dung.
Latvia was represented by Mr. Sandris Laganovskis, Director of the Patent Office, Mr. Janis Karklins, Latvian Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Mr. Guntis Ramans, Director of the Department of Examination of Inventions, and Ms. Liene Grike from the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Latvia to the UN.
In his opening remarks of the 59th General Assembly, WIPO Director General Mr. Francis Gurry emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence in the development and introduction of new technologies. The Director-General of WIPO indicated that this would ensure better management of the intellectual property system and the exchange of information between Member States in the future, contributing to a better use of the system worldwide. In addition, Garry highlighted the challenges posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence: "It raises questions about the application of existing intellectual property policy and also raises the question of whether the existing intellectual property system will be as effective in serving today's innovation ecosystem”.
During this session the discussion about signing the Design Law Treaty was highlighted - steps were taken to propose a diplomatic conference to sign the treaty, which provides a number of important innovations in the existing system. The meeting will also address a number of other issues that can be found on the WIPO website.
In his address, the Director of the Latvian Patent Office, Mr. Sandris Laganovskis, emphasized the need for a diplomatic conference to sign the Design Law Treaty, pointing to future improvements and benefits for all parties involved. Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between WIPO and the Member States in the implementation of the above initiatives, the Director of the Patent Office concluded his speech with a quote by the Nobel Prize laureate, Danish physicist Niels Henrik David Bohr: “Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it”.
A number of key issues were on the agenda of the 59th Session of the WIPO General Assembly, including the WIPO budget of 2020-2021, the appointment of the Director-General of WIPO in 2020, alternative dispute resolution in the context of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, the Hague, Madrid, Lisbon and Patent Cooperation Treaty systems
Mr. Sandris Laganovskis, with support from 153 countries, was unanimously elected to chair the Assembly of the Union for Patent Cooperation Treaty and chaired the session of the Assembly. The Patent Cooperation Treaty is now considered the basis for international protection of inventions. The Union for Patent Cooperation Treaty is one of the WIPO assemblies that discuss current issues, progress and future prospects in a particular area.
The Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia delegation held several bilateral meetings during the General Assembly. Talks were held with WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, heads of intellectual property institutions in the Baltic and Nordic countries, as well as representatives of other regions.
During the General Assembly Latvian delegation held several bilateral meetings, including discussions with WIPO Director General Mr. Francis Gurry and heads from Baltic and Nordic Intellectual Property Institutions.
The main policy and decision making body of WIPO is the General Assembly. The purpose of the annual meeting of the General Assembly is to bring together representatives from all WIPO member states to jointly review progress, make important decisions and discuss future policies.
WIPO is a self-funded United Nations agency with 192 member states.