Thank you Chair.
The UK is pleased to be part of the 66th session of the WIPO Assemblies. We thank you, Chair, Ambassador Suescum, DG Tang, and the Secretariat for preparing this session.
We commend your positive leadership, DG, over the past four years. Systems like the PCT, Hague and Madrid remain essential for all UK businesses, providing cost-effective global IP protection. We value your commitment to keeping these services central to WIPO’s work.
The UK welcomes WIPO’s responsible and prudent financial management, which is especially important in these uncertain times. This General Assembly has several challenging issues to discuss ahead, including WIPO’s program and budget. We encourage all delegations to work towards consensus.
The UK applauds the adoption of the design law and genetic resources treaties last year, clear proof that multilateralism and IP can deliver meaningful progress. We are pleased to announce our intention to sign the Design Law Treaty this week, supporting global designers and small businesses.
We strongly support efforts to build a more inclusive IP system, especially programs for women, youth, and underrepresented groups and initiatives like the Global Entrepreneurship Empowerment.
Looking ahead, with just 17% of SDG targets on track, we welcome WIPO GREEN’s expansion, and the growing recognition of IP’s role in tackling climate change. The UK was pleased to sign a MoU with WIPO Green last year and have since joined its Board to deepen collaboration.
We also value WIPO’s work on IP and frontier technologies and encourage deeper collaboration with Geneva-based partners and global initiatives like the UN Global Digital Compact and AI for Good.
Finally, we thank the Secretariat for its report on assistance for Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sector (document A/66/8). While Ukraine faces an unprecedented level of Russian attacks on its towns and cities, wreaking horrific damage on its people and its creative industries, we salute its resilience and innovation in the face of such criminality, and welcome the support provided by WIPO.
Chair, the UK remains committed to a WIPO that is efficient, inclusive and focused on delivering for global innovators and creators.
