The Politics of Intellectual Property Reform in Developing Countries : The Relevance of the World Intellectual Property Organization

Despite the emphasis of international IP treaties, such as the TRIPS Agreement, on common minimum IP standards, considerable diversity exists among developing countries regarding the nature and scope of IP standards, approaches to administration and enforcement, and the responsiveness of national IP laws to development needs. Although scholars have shown interest in the politics of international IP agreements, to date, there has been little attention to the politics of their implementation and, more generally, to the political aspects of IP reform in developing countries. Yet for the WIPO Development Agenda to translate into meaningful development oriented reforms at WIPO and also on the ground in developing countries, deeper analysis is needed of the political dynamics that impact IP decision-making at the national level, including the specific ways WIPO's activities influence the reform process. To aid in this task, this paper explores variations and strategies for organizing, developing, processing, and implementing IP policy and reforms among developing countries, taking into account national political contexts and international relationships. It concludes with a set of policy-oriented recommendations for those working to advance a Development Agenda at WIPO and, ultimately, development-oriented IP policies at the national level