Sakpatenti Participates in the 47th Session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR)

The 47th session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is currently taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

Georgia is represented at the Committee by Ms. Anuki Oboladze, Head of the Legal Department of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – Sakpatenti. She emphasized that Sakpatenti’s participation in the work of the SCCR is important for Georgia in terms of integration into the international system of copyright and related rights protection, as well as for the further development and harmonization of national legislation. The issues discussed during the Committee sessions and the adopted recommendations form a solid basis for planning and implementing both global and national policies in the field of intellectual property.

The agenda of the current session covers the following topics: protection of broadcasting organizations; limitations and exceptions for libraries and archives; limitations and exceptions for educational and research institutions and for persons with other disabilities.

It is noteworthy that last December Georgia joined the list of States Parties to the Marrakesh Treaty, which unites 98 countries and provides specific measures that establish a set of limitations and exceptions to copyright and related rights exclusively for persons with print disabilities. The Treaty facilitates the creation of specially adapted materials and their international exchange without substantial financial burdens. In addition, the Parliament of Georgia has already completed the second reading of the draft amendments to the Law of Georgia “On Copyright and Related Rights,” prepared by Sakpatenti, aiming to strengthen mechanisms for online copyright protection and to bring national legislation closer to international standards.

Participation in the session enables Georgia not only to become acquainted with the ongoing discussions but also to be directly involved in shaping the international agenda on copyright and related rights. The debates and agreements planned within the WIPO framework will have a positive impact on the further improvement of Georgian legislation, as well as on the practices of all stakeholders in the field of intellectual property—authors, related rights holders, and users.

WIPO regularly holds SCCR sessions to discuss ongoing challenges and developments in the field of copyright and related rights, to further develop international standards, and to harmonize related policies. The SCCR was established in 1998 by a decision of the WIPO Assemblies to take over the functions of existing committees of experts and to strengthen institutional coordination. 

The Committee was given the mandate to consider emerging issues in this field, so that WIPO activities directed at developing the international system for protecting copyright and related rights to be better harmonized, more thoroughly prepared and more transparent. 

The 47th session of the SCCR began on 1 December and will conclude on 5 December.