Today, the most important event of the year for the IP sphere – the 65th series of meetings of Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – has started in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Ukrainian delegation is taking part. More than 1400 delegates from all over the world joined this year’s General Assembly.
Our country is represented at the international forum by: the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and representatives of the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (IP Office).
The Ukrainian delegation is composed of:
More than 1400 delegates from all over the world joined this year’s General Assembly.
Photo: WIPO/Berrod
Unfortunately, as during the previous two assemblies, Ukraine is compelled to address russia’s ongoing unjustified and unprovoked aggression, that ravages our nation, undermines the fabric of the rules-based international order, disrupts the international property ecosystem, and challenges the core mandate of WIPO.
This was emphasized by Yevheniia Filipenko, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, during the general statement of the Ukrainian delegation:
“Yesterday, as the global IP community prepared for these Assemblies, russia launched over 40 missiles across Ukraine. russian terrorists mercilessly targeted the largest children’s Hospital in Europe. Thirty-eight innocent lives, including children, were lost, and over a hundred left gravely injured, over 100 civilian objects have been destroyed”.
The representative of the Ukrainian delegation also added that since 2022, russia has destroyed over 166,000 civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including those in the IP sector.
“Each day, the catastrophic consequences of russia’s war grow, extending far beyond Ukraine’s borders and threatening global security, economic stability and the environment. A country that flagrantly disregards WIPO’s mission by waging a war of aggression against another WIPO member, and systematically violates its IP rights, does not deserve a seat at this Assembly and forfeits any privilege to host the WIPO’s external office”, – Yevheniia Filipenko is convinced.
According to her statement, Despite russia’s aggression, Ukraine’s Government continues to prioritize the development of a national IP system, leveraging WIPO’s resources and projects to their fullest.
“We are grateful to WIPO for its invaluable assistance in drafting the National IP Strategy, designed to fortify the resilience of Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sectors. We urge the International Bureau to maintain and deepen its cooperation with Ukrainian institutions, providing support to our IP community. The focus must be on mitigating the effects of this war and assisting in our recovery. We also request that WIPO to deliver an updated assessment of the medium- and long-term impacts of russia’s war on Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sectors for our session next year”, – called on the representative of Ukraine.
To conclude, WIPO was founded to help its Member States to promote IP as a tool for a better, more sustainable future for all.
“Achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded on the principles of the UN Charter and the peace framework agreed upon at the Global Peace Summit in Burgenstock, is essential. Without it, WIPO’s noble mission risks becoming a “mission impossible”- warned Yevgeniia Filipenko.
During the general statements by delegations on July 9, Ukraine received the most support from Group B countries, the CEBS group, and the EU and its member states.
The representative of the Netherlands, speaking from Group B, emphasized that WIPO should continue to support Ukraine’s intellectual property system, innovation and creative sectors in the context of the russian war of aggression against Ukraine, especially in view of yesterday’s devastating missile attack by russians on the most vulnerable representatives of Ukrainian civil society – children who are being treated for serious illnesses in the Okhmatdyt hospital.
The representative of the Republic of Moldova, on behalf of the CEBS member states, also emphasized the negative impact of unprovoked and unjustified russian war of aggression against Ukraine on the innovation and creative sectors of the country. He recalled the need to comply with international law and noted that CEBS members are concerned about the functioning of the WIPO External Office in Moscow.
The delegate from Hungary, speaking on behalf of the EU member states, also spoke about the need for WIPO to continue providing assistance and support to Ukraine’s innovation and creative sector and intellectual property system. He expressed his solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainians and called for support for the restoration of Ukraine’s intellectual and innovative infrastructure.
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