FICPI met with WIPO on 4 February for its annual bilateral discussions, continuing a well-established and constructive exchange with the international IP community. We are grateful to the WIPO officials for taking the time to meet with us and for the candid and engaged discussion. 

FICPI and WIPO maintain a strong working relationship centred on the ongoing development of intellectual property systems worldwide. Meetings held in-person remain particularly valuable, allowing for meaningful dialogue and the reinforcement of trusted professional relationships. 

Mr. Kwakwa and Ms Hamou welcomed the FICPI team and organised the agenda so that their experts could share updates and discuss them with FICPI. They particularly congratulated FICPI for its knowledgeable teams across Committees, Working Groups and the Bureau, and for its 120-year anniversary. 

FICPI values its regular bilateral meetings with WIPO, as well as its continued participation in WIPO’s topic-specific meetings. Together with engagements with IP offices, international organisations, and diplomatic stakeholders globally, these interactions support FICPI’s objective of strengthening the effectiveness of IP attorneys. 

FICPI's approved resolutions during the 2025 World Congress in Naples were discussed and new topics and discussions were raised, ranging from developments in the patents and technology sector to Traditional Knowledge, brands and designs, as well as the IP and innovations ecosystem.  

FICPI's 2025 resolutions are below 

  • Speed of Design Examination and Availability of Deferral
  • Foreign Filing Licences
  • Preliminary Injunctions
  • Influence of Design Title on Scope of Protection
  • Human-centric Use of AI in the IP System
  • Inventive Step Assessment of Antibody Claims
  • Cooperation in the IP Ecosystem 
     
  • Plus a Position Paper on Provisional Patent Applications 

(read online at: https://ficpi.org/ficpi-news/ficpi-resolutions-october-2025) 

FICPI delegation (pictured) 

  • Elia Sugrañes, President
  • Sharon E. Crane, Ph.D. (she/her), Secretary General
  • Swarup Kumar, Deputy Secretary General
  • Robert Watson, President, Study & Work Committee
  • Eleni Kokkini, Vice President, Study & Work Committee 

WIPO delegation (pictured) 

  • Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
  • Loreto Bresky, Senior Director, PCT Legal and Technology Affairs Department, Patents and Technology Sector
  • Hamou Dalila, Director, External Relations Division, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
  • Allison Mages, IP Commercialization Section, IP for Business Division, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector  

WIPO delegation (not pictured) 

  • Grégoire Bisson, Director, The Hague Registry, Brands and Design Sector
  • Matthew Bryan, Director, PCT Legal and User Relations Division; Patents and Technology Sector
  • Ann Edillon, Director, Traditional Knowledge Division, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
  • András Jókúti, LL.M. , Patents and Technology Law Division, Patents and Technology Sector
  • Debbie Roenning, Director, Madrid Legal Division, Madrid Registry, Brands and Designs Sector
  • Marina Foschi, Senior Legal Officer, Department for Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications, Brands and Designs Sector
  • Kelvin Hayes, Head, Finance Division, Income Section, Department of Program Planning and Finance
  • Charles Randolph, Head, NGO and Industry Relations Section, External Relations Division, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
  • Matthias Reischle-Park, Deputy Director and Head, PCT Legal and User Support Section, PCT Legal and User Relations Division, PCT Legal and International Affairs Department, Patents and Technology Sector
  • Jonah Asher, Coordinator, Hague Infor Line Unit, Hague Information and Promotion Section, Hague Legal and Treaty Promotion Division, The Hague Registry, Brands and Designs Sector
  • Quan-Ling Sim, Madrid Operations Service, Madrid Operations Division, Madrid Registry Brands and Designs Sector
  • Christopher Ruggiero, Senior Legal Officer, NGO and Industry Relations Section, External Relations Division, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
  • Anja von der Ropp, Senior Program Manager, IP for Business Division, IP and Innovation - Ecosystems Sector
  • Marta Díaz, Legal Officer, IP Commercialization Section, IP for Business Division IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector 

 

FICPI’s view and involvement  

Independent IP attorneys help organisations protect and build value in their IP assets, and bring insights and counsel from a wider external perspective and a commitment to high quality work. FICPI brings IP attorneys from around the world together to connect, share knowledge and grow.  

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