The WIPO Director General Francis Gurry addressed the SCCR 32 Delegates at the opening of the meeting. His statement was substantive:
The issues before you this week, it is a busy week, first of all, it is broadcasting. I have said some words. The Chair has spoken frequently on the past on the economic, cultural, social importance of broadcasting. If I may say some extremely good work was done by the Committee in the course under the Chair’s leadership in the course of the last 12 months in advancing the understanding of where we are now. With respect to this issue. In a very much changed environment from the one in which the issue was born many years ago. If I may, I would also remind you that this is the longest standing issue on the Agenda of WIPO dating back originally to 1996, 20 years ago now. Here is the first opportunity.
I hope it is one that you will seize. It is, of course, I think — we’re all highly conscience that it is not an easy issue because of the changing nature of the technology, but your work has carved out an area where some action may be possible and this is, as I said, the last opportunity that you will have to make a recommendation with respect to this particular item for any action that you may wish the assemblies of Member States to take this year in carrying forward the issue.
Then we have exceptions and limitations, in particular on the one hand libraries and archives and on the other hand education, research institutions and other disabilities. A lot of work has been done on the Standing Committee on the libraries and archives issue. Again, it is a question of what you, the Member States which to do with this issue. Do you want it on the Agenda for the next 20 years or do you want to reach closure on it. If so, how will you do that?
Education, research institutions, it is a little less advanced as you are all aware. We’ll have the opportunity to review a study by Professor Daniel Singh done in this area and it will be before the Committee. It is an interesting piece of work that will give you the opportunity to advance work in this area as well.
We have two other items which are creeping into the Agenda at least at this stage under the rubric other matters, but I must say that I rather welcome the addition of new items to the Agenda since the Agenda has been concerned with the same items now for quite a significant number of years. This in the context, as I mentioned at the very outset of an external environment in which the changes to the business and economic and technological environment in which Copyright is a central feature are extremely rapid and profound. Our Agenda tends to be rather conservative, and this for very good reasons, that you all prefer as Member States. The two items that have crept in under other matters and that we hope will receive some discussion from you this week, first of all, the proposal coming from Senegal and Congo with respect to the remuneration — to the resale right, where this item has been discussed, mainly in side meetings, as you know, for a number of years now. It would — some discussion of it in the plenary would be welcome, I think — very much welcome. It is a right rooted to the fundamental rights of creators and authors.
The other is from GRULAC on discussion on the evolving digital environment and digital market and that, of course, there is no need to emphasize just how important that particular environment is where changes are being led by new business models. We’re seeing every day new ways in which Copyright is being used as a market mechanism for being able to find return value to creators and to business associates.
I do wish you very good discussions in the course of this week under the — as we all know, under the extremely able leadership — knowledgeable leadership of our Chair and I hope that by the end of the week we may have some results which will take forward the Agenda of the organization and in particular do justice to all of the good work that’s been done by this Committee in advancing understanding of the issues that are before it.
As the Chair pointed out, the Director General “is very aware of the topics we’re discussing in detail at this stage of our discussion. It is good to know that those details following our discussion and our results are being monitored and reflecting the expectations that are not only — they’re reflected to the rest of the world, the decisions taken.”
The Chair thanks DG Gurry for his kind words and support of the excellent staff of the Secretariat lead by Michelle Woods.