On Tuesday, 5 October 2021, Knowledge Ecology International delivered the following opening statement at the 2021 WIPO General Assembly.
General Statement of Knowledge Ecology International – WIPO General Assembly
5 October 2021
The COVID pandemic illustrates flaws in the intellectual property system. In a public health crisis, no company should have a monopoly of essential inventions, data, biologic resources and manufacturing know-how needed for countermeasures. Access to manufacturing know-how is particularly galling, giving the shocking inequality of access to vaccines and drugs.
WIPO needs to explore how access to inventions, data, biologic resources and manufacturing know-how can be treated as global public goods, while providing robust incentives and rewards to developers of new products, and recognizing the significant role of governments in funding R&D. To this end, the SCP and the CDIP should discuss WIPO Report CDIP/14/INF/12 and other work relating to the supply of public goods.
As regards the SCCR, KEI opposes any further work on a broadcast treaty, given confusion over objectives of the treaty, and proposals to provide effective perpetual rights to broadcasters for content that they do not create, own or license.