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href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a><div class="flyout"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Intellectual Property</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/">Copyright</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Patents</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/">Trademarks</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/">Industrial Designs</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/">Geographical Indications</a></li> </ul></div><div class="nav nav--two"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Training</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li> <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/">WIPO Academy</a></li><li> <a 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href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">All about IP</a></p></div></li><li class="flyout-control"> <a class="m-hide" href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a><div class="flyout flyout--shaded"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">About WIPO</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">What is WIPO?</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/members/en/">Member States</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/observers/">Observers</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/dgo/">Director General</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/activities_by_unit/">Activities by Unit</a></li><li><a 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placeholder="Search WIPO" type="text"> <button class="btn ss-search" title="Search"></button> </form></div> </nav><div class="container"> <div class="wrap-outer"> <div class="wrap-inner"> <ul class="nav-breadcrumb"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/">Home</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/">Policy</a></li> </ul> <div class="dropdown nav__on-this-page"><a class="dropdown-toggle" href="#" data-toggle="dropdown">On this page <strong class="caret"></strong></a> <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu--on-this-page"> <li><a href="#bodies">Decision-making and negotiating bodies</a></li> <li><a href="#topics">Exploring the interface between IP and other policy topics</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="content"> <h1>Policy</h1> <div class="main"> <p class="lead">WIPO provides a global policy forum, where governments, intergovernmental organizations, industry groups and civil society come together to address evolving intellectual property (IP) issues.</p> <p class="lead">Our <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/members/en/" target="_self">member states</a> and <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/observers/index.html" target="_self">observers</a> meet regularly in the various WIPO Committees and decision-making bodies. Their challenge is to negotiate the changes and new rules needed to ensure that the international IP system keeps pace with the changing world, and continues to serve its fundamental purpose of encouraging innovation and creativity.</p> </div> <div class="complementary"> <div class="box"> <figure><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180610185757/https://www.flickr.com/photos/wipo/15337447591/in/set-72157647726148455/"><img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/f_wipo_9902757385_600.jpg" alt="Making International IP Law"/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: WIPO)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2014/05/article_0001.html">Making International IP Law </a></h3> <p class="secondary">Multilateralism offers the unique and indispensable values of legitimacy and universality..." - Director General Francis Gurry in the WIPO Magazine on current policy challenges.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <h2><a name="bodies"></a>Decision-making and negotiating bodies</h2> <div class="main"> <p>We are committed to transparency and inclusiveness. <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic_bodies.jsp" target="_self">All meeting documents are available</a> online. You can also freely follow discussions in our Assemblies and Committees via our <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/webcasting/en/" target="_self">live webcasting</a> service, or access <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/webcasting/en/" target="_self">videos of past sessions</a>.</p> </div> <div class="complementary"> <div class="box"> <p><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/rules_of_procedure.html">General Rules of Procedure of WIPO</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/general/399/wipo_pub_399.pdf"> <img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.svg" alt="PDF, General Rules of Procedure of WIPO"/> </a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--two"> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Governing Bodies</h3> <p>Established by the <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/convention/">WIPO Convention</a>, these constituent organs, are WIPO’s highest decision-making bodies. They traditionally meet in September/October each year in either ordinary or extraordinary session.</p> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/assemblies/" target="_self">The WIPO General Assembly and the Assemblies of the member states of each Union </a>(e.g. the PCT Union Assembly)</li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=104" target="_self">The WIPO Coordination Committee</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=103" target="_self">The WIPO Conference</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <h3>Permanent Committees</h3> <p>Any of the Governing Bodies can constitute committees as required. For example:</p> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=101">Program and Budget Committee (PBC)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/cdip/">Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/igc/">Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/enforcement/en/ace/">Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE)</a></li> </ul> <p>The International Classification treaties established <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/classifications/en/" target="_self">permanent Committees of Experts with a mandate periodically to revise and update the classification systems</a>.</p> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--two"> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Standing Committees</h3> <p>These are ad hoc committees of experts established by a decision of the General Assembly for a given purpose, e.g. to determine the need or otherwise for new treaty provisions:</p> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/scp/">Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/sct/">Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/sccr/">Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/cws/en/">Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS)</a></li> </ul> <h4>Working groups</h4> <p>Any WIPO Standing Committee or other body can also decide to establish a working group to examine a particular question in more detail.</p> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h3>Diplomatic Conferences</h3> <p>If one of the Standing or Permanent Committees determines that sufficient progress has been made to move towards treaty adoption, the General Assembly can decide to convene a <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=2" target="_self">Diplomatic Conference</a>. This is a high level meeting of member states, convened with the sole purpose of finalizing negotiations on a new treaty. The most recent have included:</p> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/diplomatic_conferences/2015/en/" target="_self">Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a new Act of the Lisbon Agreement - The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/dc2013/en/" target="_self">Diplomatic Conference to Conclude a Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/dc2012/en/" target="_self">Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <h2><a name="topics"></a>Exploring the interface between IP and other policy topics</h2> <p>IP touches directly on many diverse policy areas. Explore WIPO's work in some of these areas below. Or, if you are looking for information on issues of IP policy and practice, go to our gateway pages on <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/" target="_self">copyright</a>, <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/" target="_self">patents</a>, <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/" target="_self">trademarks</a>, <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/" target="_self">industrial designs</a> and <a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/" target="_self">geographical indications</a>.</p> <div class="col"> <figure><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/"><img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/wipo_tce_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: UN Photo/M. Perret)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/">Traditional knowledge</a></h3> <p>Policy and legal issues relating to the protection and use of traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional cultural expressions are broad and diverse.</p> </div> <div class="col"> <figure><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/econ_stat/en/economics/"><img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000003992536_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStockPHOTO.com/tom_fewster)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/econ_stat/en/economics/">Economics</a></h3> <p>IP is an important component of economic policies. WIPO contributes to better understanding of the economic effects of IP policy choices, and offers a first entry point for information on the economics of IP.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three"> <div class="col col--one"> <figure><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/global_health/"><img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000019334103_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStockphoto.com/nicolas_)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/global_health/">Global health</a></h3> <p>Innovation has brought major advances in public health. The challenge for public and global health policymakers is to provide the necessary incentives for innovation and to promote access to more effective health products and services, particularly where they are most needed.</p> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <figure><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/climate_change/"><img src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000017120977_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStockpoto.com/Foxtrot101)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/climate_change/">Climate change</a></h3> <p>Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. WIPO works with a range of stakeholders to address the role of IP and innovation in tackling the problems.</p> </div> <div class="col col--three"> <figure><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/ip-competition/en/"><img style="width: 600px;" title="i_000010076850_600" src="/web/20180610185757im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000010076850_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStockphoto.com/petesaloutos)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/ip-competition/en/">Competition policy</a></h3> <p>WIPO conducts research into the interaction between IP and competition policy, encourages dialogue, and promotes the exchange of best practices.</p> </div> </div>  </div> <div id="tools"><h4 class="d-hide t-hide">Tools</h4> <ul><li><a class="tools__link" href="/web/20180610185757/http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/">Media</a></li> <li><a class="tools__link" 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