The 34th session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) was held at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva on 5-9 May 2025.
Among the key issues on the agenda of the 34th CDIP session are:
Significant attention was also paid to:
As stated in the WIPO Director General’s 2024 Report on the Implementation of the DA, Ukraine has received support in the form of technical assistance. In particular, this includes the organization of seminars, consultations and the provision of specialised materials aimed at raising awareness of intellectual property among small and medium-sized enterprises and educational institutions.
Ukraine also participated in capacity-building programmes, particularly through the TISC network which helped to facilitate the integration of the innovative potential of Ukrainian researchers into global innovation processes.
At the beginning of the session, the Ukrainian delegation made a statement strongly condemning the ongoing russian federation war of aggression against Ukraine. It emphasised the devastating impact of this war on the intellectual property system, creative and innovative sectors and cultural heritage.
“More than 3 years have passed since the russian federation launched its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military invasion of Ukraine Despite international calls for peace, including Ukraine’s positive response to the US ceasefire proposals, russia continues its brutal campaign against Ukrainian civilians, targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure”, said Bogdan Paduchak, First Deputy Director of UANIPIO.
Since March 11, 2025 (after the ceasefire proposals were announced), russian forces have launched nearly 8 500 guided aerial bombs, about 200 missiles and approximately 3 000 attack drones, the vast majority of which targeted civilian objects.
And the night of April 24 was one of the most tragic – Ukraine suffered a combined strike involving 215 missiles launched from air, land, and sea, along with attack drones. The main target of the attack was the capital city of Kyiv. 13 people were killed and 90 others were injured. The same night, 24 strikes were carried out on Kharkiv.
‘On 25 April – the eve of World Intellectual Property Day – a day of mourning for the victims of the massive missile attack was declared in Kyiv. A day that should have celebrated creativity and innovation was instead marked by devastation and grief”, said Bohdan Paduchak.
Ukraine called for the deprivation of any privileges granted to russia within WIPO, and demanded legal accountability for the aggressor, including full compensation for damages inflicted on the IP system.
A statement in support of Ukraine was made by the Delegation of Estonia on behalf of the Member States of the Central European and Baltic States Group (CEBS).
‘This war, which has been going on for four consecutive years, has exacerbated the negative effects outlined in the WIPO Report on Assistance and Support for Ukraine’s Innovation and Creativity Sector and Intellectual Property System. According to UNESCO’s verified data, at least 468 cultural heritage sites have been damaged. We emphasise the importance of strengthening assistance to Ukrainian institutions, scholars and creative businesses,’ the statement declared.
The CEBS delegations reaffirmed their full support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and called on WIPO to continue reporting on the implementation of the relevant decision of the General Assembly.
Statements in support of Ukraine were also made by Poland on behalf of a group of like-minded countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
“Undoubtedly, russia’s ongoing aggressive war against Ukraine is hampering international efforts towards sustainable development, including through the CDIP […] We once again demand that russia immediately cease its invasion of Ukraine, withdraw its troops from all of its territory and stop all violations of international law”, the statement reads.
Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Emmanuel Berrod.
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