WIPO Sub-Regional Symposium on the Benefits of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for Developing and Least- Developed Countries.

Press Release
17 October , 2002

A Sub-Regional Symposium on the Benefits of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for Developing and least Developed Countries, is being organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) in association with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Institute of Intellectual Property Development (IIPD), New Delhi from October 17-18,2002.

The programme is being attended by participants from 8 countries, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. The participants (around 100) are senior officials concerned with policy making and implementation, industry associations, research institutions, legal profession, trade and commerce, etc.

The objective of this programme is to provide senior officials of Patent Offices or relevant Govt. authorities dealing with policy making in the patent field and in particular of PCT related matters, a forum to understand the role and relevance of the patent system, including the PCT in enhancing international competitiveness of developing and least developed countries in a knowledge based economy; overview of the PCT system; benefits of the PCT system for the national economies; benefits of the PCT systems for large, medium and small industries and research & development institutes and also benefits of the PCT system for the Patent Offices of developing and least developed countries.

Some of the important themes which will be addressed during the 2-day Symposium will include: (1) Overview of the PCT system: a system for international cooperation in the worldwide filing, search and examination of patent applications; recent developments in the PCT system. (2) The role and relevance of the patent system, including the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), in enhancing international competitiveness of developing and least-developed countries in a global knowledge-based economy. (3) Benefits of the PCT system for the large, medium and small industries and the research and development institutions in developing and least-developed countries. (4) Benefits of the PCT system for the national economics of developing and least-developed countries.

Senior representatives from several countries, such as South Korea, Sri Lanka, WIPO and India are making presentations to share the experiences with a view to developing necessary policy guidelines useful for the delegates, participants and patent officials.

The opening ceremony was addressed by Shri V.K. Malhotra, Additional Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Mr. Wang Zhengfa, Director, World Intellectual Property Organization and representatives from FICCI and IIPD. The speakers emphasized the importance of PCT in obtaining cost effective protection of patent rights globally in a competitive and knowledge-based economy.