As 2011 unfolds, the following conferences and negotiations are expected to shape the knowledge governance landscape this year at WHO, WIPO and WTO.
World Health Organization
The first meeting of a “time-limited and results-oriented working group on substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products” originally slated to take place in December 2010 is expected to be scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. Informed sources have surmised that reasons for the postponement included political wrangling over the selection of the Chair and Vice-Chair of this working group in addition to budgetary constraints.
The 128th session of the WHO Executive Board will examine inter alia, the following issues: Pandemic influenza preparedness: sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination, Health-related Millennium Development Goals, Global immunization vision and strategy, Draft WHO HIV/AIDS strategy 2011–2015, Substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products and Malaria.
With respect to the Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D, WHO’s annotated agenda states:
“The Director-General will propose a composition of the Consultative Expert Working Group to the Board for approval, drawing on the roster of experts whose details, following consultation with Regional Committees, have been submitted to the Director-General through the respective Regional Directors, and taking into account regional representation according to the composition of the Executive Board, gender balance and diversity of expertise, and the Regional Committees’ recommendations”.
Key Dates
- 13-14 January 2011: Geneva
Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board: thirteenth meeting- 17-25 January 2011: Geneva
Executive Board: 128th session- 12-13 May 2011: Geneva
Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board: fourteenth meeting- 16-24 May 2011: Geneva
Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly
World Intellectual Property Organization
The dates for SCCR 22 have been set for 15 June 2011 (Wednesday) to 24 June (Friday) 2011; this includes the three “additional working days to the SCCR regular session dedicated to limitations and exceptions for persons with print and other reading disabilities” agreed to in the conclusions of SCCR 21. The dates for these additional three days dedicated to print disabilities have been set for 15-17 June 2011.
The 16th session of the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) meets from 16-20 May 2011 at the same time as the 64th session of the World Health Assembly. The WIPO patent committee will consider inter alia: patents and health, exceptions and limitations to patent rights and quality of patents, including opposition systems.
*Note: WIPO writes “Program” and WHO writes “Programme”.
Key Dates
- 12-13 January 2011: Geneva
Program and Budget Committee (16th session)- 2-3 February 2011: Paris
The Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy (convened by INTERPOL, the World Customs Organization and WIPO).
Sixth Global Congress21-25 February 2011: Geneva
Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore – Intersessional Working Group
Second session
This session will focus on traditional knowledge.28 February-4 March 2011: Geneva
Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore – Intersessional Working Group –
Third session
This session will focus on genetic resources.- 2-6 May 2011: Geneva
Committee on Development and Intellectual Property
(7th session)- 9-13 May 2011: Geneva
Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore
(18th session)- 16-20 May 2011: Geneva
Standing Committee on the Law of Patents
(16th session)- 15-24 June 2011: Geneva
Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights
(22nd session)- 27 June-1 July 2011: Geneva
Program and Budget Committee (17th session)- 18-22 July 2011: Geneva
Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore
(19th session)- 12-15 September 2011: Geneva
Program and Budget Committee (18th session)- 26 September-5 October 2011: Geneva
Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO
(49th series)- 9-11 November 2011: Geneva
WIPO Committee on Standards (2nd session)- 14-18 November 2011: Geneva
Committee on Development and Intellectual Property
(8th session)- 21-25 November 2011: Geneva
Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights
(23rd session)- 30 November-2 December 2011: Geneva
Advisory Committee on Enforcement (7th session)- 5-9 December 2011: Geneva
Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (17th session)
World Trade Organization
The TRIPS Council is slated to meet on 1-2 March 2011 where the Council is expected to discuss the Paragraph 6 mechanism (intended to be an expeditious solution to address the situation of WTO members with insufficient or no manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector from making effective use of compulsory licensing under the rules of the TRIPS Agreement). As noted by IP-Watch,
“Developing countries are asking for a workshop on Paragraph 6 open to nongovernmental organisations, pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders. But Australia, Canada, the European Union and the United States are not supportive of holding such a workshop… Between now and then, TRIPS Council Chair Martin Glass will hold consultations on this issue with interested governments, according to participants in the meeting”. (29 October 2010, TRIPS Council Discusses Efficacy Of ACTA, Public Health Amendment, by Kaitlin Mara)
- 1 – 2 March 2011: Geneva
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights- 24 – 25 March 2011: Geneva
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade- 7 – 8 June 2011: Geneva
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights- 19-21 September 2011: Geneva
WTO Public Forum- 25-26 October 2011: Geneva
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights- 8 – 9 November 2011: Geneva
Workshop – Technical Barriers to Trade- 10-11 November 2011: Geneva
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade- 15 – 17 December 2011:Geneva
Eighth Ministerial Conference