Sri Lanka is committed to upgrade intellectual property regimes to move beyond traditional domains of copy rights and patents,Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ravinath Aryasinha said.
It will particularly foray into new areas such as innovation and branding to bring it in line with international standards,he said speaking at a seminar on protection of Intellectual Property Rights of traditional knowledge and cultural expressions in association with G-15 country grouping and WIPO.
“Under the ten point action plan of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Sri Lanka Cooperation launched following the visit of Dr. Gurry, Sri Lanka has focused on making its own stakeholders aware of unique IP rights associated with traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and enhancing expertise on international dimensions associated with these rights.”
Commenting on G-15 country grouping, Aryasinha noted that during Sri Lanka’s chairmanship, the group has made strategic re-orientation while the group continues to articulate the common positions of mutual interests at important global forums.The G15 has evolved into an organization that is also striving to achieve greater South-South cooperation and building capacity among its members.
As a grouping of developing countries, G-15 has also witnessed many changes in the global sphere.In this regard,the group has identified intellectual property as one of four areas of focus in 2013.
“This resolve has further strengthened by the opportunities presented through the 2013 agenda of development which is developing countries pooling their resources and expertise for the common good.”
He further added that in the realm of intellectual property rights,the G 15 countries share many interests especially in multi-lateral platform such as WIPO , among them the protection of IP rights associated with free trade is of paramount importance to all member countries.
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