Changing the

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations system of organisations. Its role is administrating 23 international treates dealing with different aspects of limited monopolies on knowledge.

According to its own web page, it is

"an international organization dedicated to promoting the use and protection of works of the human spirit. These works -- intellectual property -- are expanding the bounds of science and technology and enriching the world of the arts. Through its work, WIPO plays an important role in enhancing the quality and enjoyment of life, as well as creating real wealth for nations."

As explained in articles such as "Fighting intellectual poverty" or "On 'Intellectual Property' and Indigenous Peoples" on FSFEs web page -- as well as many others on the net -- the statement above does not fit current reality. The Geneva Declaration states clearly how WIPO has a well-deserved reputation for "intellectually weak, ideologically rigid, and sometimes brutally unfair and inefficient policies."

For anyone involved in questions of freedom in a digital age, such as Free Software Foundation Europe, WIPO is often at the root of current threats, such as software patents, the European Copyright Directive (EUCD) and others. When these come to a European or national level, we often find that little room for change exists.

Instead of working to prevent the worst for these directives one by one, Free Software Foundation Europe is working to prevent harmful legislation at its root, the global level, in which WIPO is one key player. For that reason, FSFE has requested observer status to WIPO in 2003, which was granted during the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO from September 27 to October 5, 2004.

Together with a global coalition of other players with similar goals, FSFE will work to change the "World Intellectual Property Organization" into a "World Intellectual Wealth Organisation."

Documents

• FSFE's written statement to the 2007 General Assembly (2007-09-28)
  Statement at the 2007 Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, 24 September - 3 October 2007

• WIPO statement (2006-06-28)
  Statement at the second Provisional Committee on a Development Agenda (PCDA) for WIPO

• Free Software Essentials Reference Sheet (2006-06-28)
  Handout prepared for the second Provisional Committee on a Development Agenda (PCDA) for WIPO

• WIPO statement (2006-02-23)
  Statement at the first Provisional Committee on a Development Agenda (PCDA) for WIPO

• WIPO statement (2005-09-30)
  Statement of the Free Software Foundation Europe and the Free Software Foundation Latin America towards the 2005 WIPO general assemblies

• WIPO statement (2005-07-21)
  Statement on behalf of the WSIS Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks (PCT) Working Group of Civil Society at the third Inter-Sessional, Inter-Governmental Meeting (IIM) on a Development Agenda

• WIPO statement (2005-06-20)
  Statement at the second Inter-Sessional, Inter-Governmental Meeting (IIM) on a Development Agenda

• WIPO statement (2005-04-15)
  Statement at the Permanent Committee on Cooperation for Development related to Intellectual Property (PCIPD)

• WIPO statement (2005-04-13)
  Statement at the Inter-Sessional, Inter-Governmental Meeting (IIM) on a Development Agenda

Related

• Free Software Foundation Europe supports the Development Agenda -- IIM/3 NGO Statement for the third Inter-Sessional, Inter-Governmental Meeting (IIM) on a Development Agenda, 20 July 2005
• Statement in Support of the Geneva Declaration: Towards a 'World Intellectual Wealth Organisation'

• Article: Fighting intellectual poverty
• Article: On 'Intellectual Property' and Indigenous Peoples

• Project page: World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
• Project page: Software Patents
• Project page: European Copyright Directive (EUCD)

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