ISLAMABAD - Organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan), a National Seminar on Legal Options and Flexibilities under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, November 27-28, 2007.
Senior Program Officer, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, WIPO, Françoise Simon-Vianès, and Director of Legislative and Legal Advice Division, WIPO, Octavio Espinosa, discussed a range of issues surrounding the Agreement, with an emphasis on the legal and technical assistance needed for implementing such an Agreement in Pakistan, the Doha Declaration, compulsory licensing and data protection under Article 39.3 of the Agreement.
On the other hand, Director General of IPO-Pakistan, Yasin Tahir, and Director of R&D at the Pakistani National Vocational and Technical Education Commission, Humaria Mufti, discussed TRIPS Agreement’s effects and its flexibilities available for local and foreign industries in Pakistan.
Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) Pakistan Office Manager, Aamir F. Khan, said that the seminar provided solutions to overcome the challenges which local and foreign industries in Pakistan face in the implementation of TRIPS Agreement.
“In particular, the seminar aimed at educating firms in Pakistan about the legal options available under the TRIPS and the Doha Declaration towards developing a friendly Intellectual Property policy,” he added.
The seminar brought together officials from various sectors in Pakistan, including commerce, health, education, pharmaceutical and Intellectual Property, in addition to registrars and examiners from trademark, patent and copyright offices.