[As stated earlier, these are my own opinions]
Work resumes, dealing with recommendations on the public domain. Development Agenda Group is asking to approve the proposals, but would also like to include a positive normative element to enhance the public domain.
There was a bit of a keruffle during the morning session, and it was a very interesting opportunity to watch negotiations taking place in real time. The bone of contention was the wording and details of the Agenda Item 8, specifically CDIP4_CDIP/4/3 Rev. – Project on Intellectual Property and the Public Domain (Recommendations 16 and 20, see above link). The Development Agenda Group, comprising countries like Egypt, Algeria, Brazil, and Cuba, made statements asking for wider normative engagement to enhance the public domain. Bolivia and other developing countries agreed with the statement. The United States objected, as they were worried that the DAG proposal went further than the approved document. After some internal negotiations during lunch, the disagreeing delegations agreed to examine the report closer, but it seems like there will be a common ground, as most parties considered that the existing text was already approved.
CDIP/4/7 under discussion. The main bone of contention here seems to be that the document does not really define what is meant by technology transfer. Developing countries seem to be very much in favour of any technology transfer issues. Some countries expressed worries that there was scope for duplication of work, as these topics may intersect with the work of the Standing Committee on Patents, as well as other industrial property issues.I am starting to see a worrying pattern. Lots of discussion, but as soon as there is a small bump on the road, the chair requests the member states to work out their disagreements, and try to come up with a common solution.
Now Carsten Fink (WIPO’s chief economist) is presenting the project on Intellectual Property and Socio-Economic Development (CDIP/5/7). This is an empirical study on the relation between IP and development. The U.S. wants to know how will the experts in this area be chosen, which is an interesting comment in itself.
Day coming to a close with a fizzle after that, seems like people are tired, and thinking about tonight’s football match.
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