Francis Gurry, the new WIPO director general, has called on member states to take practical steps to reach common ground on the protection of traditional knowledge.
He was speaking at the opening session of the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), which took place last week.
The IGC, which met for the second time this year, is chaired by Rigoberto Gauto Vielman of Paraguay. It reviewed proposals for enhanced and accelerated working procedures, and analysed where there are gaps in protection in the international legal framework.
Gurry is interviewed in October's edition of Managing IP, available online to subscribers and free triallists.