GENEVA, OCTOBER 4 – Intellectual property is one of the drivers of economic growth and employment. Businesses, both large and small, that make intensive use of intellectual property rights in Italy (copyright and related rights, trademarks, patents, industrial designs and geographical indications) constitute a vital sector for the national economy. The General Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in which Italy participates every year with 192 other Member States, began today in Geneva.
The organisation, a specialised agency of the United Nations that derives almost all of its revenue from services offered to businesses, promotes the use and protection of intellectual property at international level because of the incentive it provides for innovation and creativity. The Assemblies’ work will end on 8 October and will provide an opportunity to take stock of the current negotiations for new agreements and to prepare for the challenges posed by the post-pandemic recovery.
In his address, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the International Organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, expressed his appreciation for the first year of activity of the Director General, Daren Tang. He also stressed Italy’s strong support for the WIPO agenda, with particular reference to the Lisbon System, which protects geographical indications and designations of origin. “Geographical indications have gained crucial importance over time as a powerful tool for product differentiation and contribute to the promotion of economic development, as well as environmental protection, together with food quality and safety”.
Ambassador Cornado also stressed the importance of innovation in the field of intellectual property for small and medium-sized enterprises as a useful tool for economic growth. On the Italian side, appreciation was also expressed for “the intense cooperation between WIPO, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization in supporting access to medical technologies at the global level”.
WIPO issues are mainly followed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economic Development, Agriculture and Cultural Heritage within a process that at the national level sees many institutional and private actors involved.
Click here for the full text of the speech. (@OnuItalia)
