WIPO Patent Agenda

The new WIPO Patent Agenda threatens to erode much of the flexibility available under TRIPS for the design and implementation of a patent regime at the national level. Although its ostensible purpose is to streamline procedures and reduce costs, the ultimate aim of the proponents of this harmonisation process, such as the US, is to be able to grant a global patent, which would render national patent offices superfluous. However, despite the experience of the TRIPS negotiations, most developing countries do not seem to realise the importance of the new WIPO initiative and the need to participate actively in agenda formulation.