Georgia Becomes Coordinator of the Central European and Baltic States (CEBS) Group at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Georgia has become the Coordinator of the Central European and Baltic States (CEBS) Group at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The CEBS group, which will be led by Georgia for a one-year term, unites the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Türkiye.

The country serving as Coordinator of the CEBS Group participates in preparatory meetings of the committees. Its main functions are to coordinate positions among the Group’s member states and to present and defend the Group’s agreed positions on various WIPO platforms, including meetings of the Assemblies, committees, and working groups.

The coordinator country engages actively in thematic negotiations, participates in drafting legal acts on behalf of the group in order to represent the group, and is entitled to nominate any member of the Group, including Georgia, for the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair of WIPO committees. In addition, the Coordinator may initiate projects that could contribute to the future improvement of the intellectual property ecosystem in the Group’s member states.

During its one-year term as Coordinator, Georgia’s representative will deliver statements at WIPO on behalf of the Group. This will strengthen Georgia’s integration into the Organization, simplify communication, create opportunities to propose new initiatives and projects, and further promote the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

It is noteworthy that WIPO is a one of the most effective organizations of the United Nations, responsible for shaping global intellectual property policy, leading the development of an effective and balanced international intellectual property system, and promoting innovation and creativity. The Organization was established in 1967 and currently has 194 member states, including Georgia, which has been a member since 1991.