One Day to Go : The World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO / Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle – OMPI Opens Its Sixty-Eighth Series of Assembly Meetings Tomorrow in Geneva, with InfoCons Representing Romania
From tomorrow, 7 July 2026, in Geneva, at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO (A/68) officially opens and will run until 15 July 2026. It is one of the most important annual events in the field of intellectual property worldwide, and Romania is represented by InfoCons, through its President Sorin Mierlea. As a member of WIPO, InfoCons will take part in the proceedings throughout the entire event, bringing the perspective and interests of consumers to the world’s foremost intellectual property forum.
This preview article, published one day before the opening, offers readers a guide to what lies ahead: what WIPO and this series of meetings are, what the priorities on the agenda are, why intellectual property matters so much to every consumer, and what the concrete role of InfoCons is – including the contribution of the application developed by the organization.
What WIPO is and what the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings represents
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting and protecting intellectual property around the world. Established in 1967 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WIPO brings together 193 member states and administers an extensive framework of international treaties, global services and public policies covering patents, trademarks, industrial designs, geographical indications, copyright and related rights. Its mission is to build a balanced and effective international intellectual property system that fosters innovation and creativity for the benefit of everyone.
WIPO’s principal decision-making bodies are the General Assembly and the Coordination Committee. Alongside them, twenty-two Assemblies and other bodies of the member states and of the Unions administered by the Organization meet each year in ordinary or extraordinary sessions. These meetings allow member states to take stock of the progress of the Organization’s work and to set future policy directions. The Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings is held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation, and is supported by interpretation in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. Morning sessions take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and afternoon sessions from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Geneva time).
The priorities of the A/68 agenda
Over the course of nine days, the delegations of the 193 member states will work through a broad agenda, structured in the consolidated agenda (document A/68/1). Among the priorities and major themes of this series of meetings are:
- The Address of the Director General and the general statements of the member states, which outline the strategic directions of the Organization for the period ahead.
- The reports of the WIPO Committees: the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP), the Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT), the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP), the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), the Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS) and the Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE).
- The global intellectual property service systems: the PCT System (patents), the Madrid System (trademarks), the Hague System (industrial designs) and the Lisbon System (geographical indications and appellations of origin), together with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, including the management of domain names.
- The Organization’s program and budget, audit and oversight, staff matters, and the admission of new observers from civil society.
- Themes with a strong social impact, such as the Marrakesh Treaty, which facilitates access to published works for persons who are blind or visually impaired, and the assistance provided to Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sector and intellectual property system.
For InfoCons, these priorities are not merely technical items on an agenda: each of them has direct consequences for the lives of consumers, from the safety of products and access to culture to trust in the marketplace and the fight against counterfeiting.
Why intellectual property matters so much
Intellectual property is often perceived as an abstract subject reserved for lawyers and large companies. In reality, it is present in the life of each of us, every single day. The trademark on a product tells us who manufactured it and guarantees a certain standard of quality. Patents protect investment in research and make it possible for new medicines, technologies and innovative solutions to emerge. Copyright rewards the work of writers, musicians, filmmakers and creators of educational content, ensuring the continuity of cultural creation.
At the same time, a robust intellectual property system is the main line of defence against counterfeit and pirated products. Counterfeiting is not only about economic losses for companies and public budgets; it represents a real danger to the health and safety of consumers. Counterfeit toys, cosmetics, car parts, medicines or electronics can endanger people’s lives, precisely because they are manufactured without respecting quality and safety standards. That is why the decisions taken in Geneva, within WIPO, have a concrete impact on what ultimately reaches store shelves and the homes of consumers in Romania and around the world.
In an increasingly digital economy, where online commerce erases borders, the challenges relating to intellectual property multiply. Counterfeit products circulate more easily than ever through online platforms, and consumers need tools and information to help them make safe choices. This is exactly where the role of a consumer protection organization such as InfoCons comes in.
What InfoCons does in the field of intellectual property
InfoCons is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO. This official recognition places Romania on the global map of organizations that contribute to the international dialogue in the field of intellectual property, InfoCons being the only consumer protection organization in Romania accredited within this international forum.
Through its participation in the meetings, consultations and working groups organized by WIPO, InfoCons helps to promote consumer interests in the international debates on intellectual property and supports the development of policies that encourage innovation, respect for intellectual property rights and the fight against counterfeiting.
InfoCons is also an active member of the EUIPO Observatory – the European Union Intellectual Property Office – playing an important role within the Civil Society Working Group of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights. This involvement underlines InfoCons’ commitment to addressing the challenges generated by infringements of intellectual property rights at European level. By taking part in the activities of the EUIPO Observatory, InfoCons contributes to the development of projects dedicated to combating counterfeiting and piracy, to promoting intellectual property education, and to raising consumer awareness of the impact that counterfeit products have on health, safety and the economy.
At national level, InfoCons has been a member since 2006 of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Matters, coordinated by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. This nearly two-decade-long engagement reflects the continuity and seriousness with which the organization approaches intellectual property issues, always placing consumer protection and the public interest at the heart of its concerns.
The contribution of the InfoCons app
InfoCons has developed a unique consumer protection app that enables consumers to make more informed choices before purchasing products and services. Our objective is not only to provide access to information, but also to empower consumers through digital innovation by giving them practical tools to identify risks and actively contribute to a safer and more transparent marketplace.
One of the app’s key features is the Alerts section, which allows consumers to verify whether a product is subject to official safety alerts issued at European level. The app provides updated information on both food and non-food products, including the product name, the country concerned, the level of risk, the country of origin, the date on which the alert was published and an image of the product. These alerts concern products presenting direct risks to consumers and contribute to preventing the circulation of unsafe products, whether offered in physical stores or through online marketplaces.
The app also contributes to the protection of intellectual property by encouraging consumers to play an active role. Through dedicated functionalities, citizens can report products or services that may infringe intellectual property rights through counterfeiting or piracy, allowing the relevant competent authorities to receive valuable information that may support enforcement activities. In this way, every consumer becomes a partner in the shared effort to make the marketplace safer and fairer.
InfoCons, present throughout the event
As a member of WIPO, InfoCons will take part in the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States for its entire duration, from the opening on 7 July to the official closing on 15 July 2026. Through its President Sorin Mierlea, InfoCons will closely follow the debates and decisions, ensuring that the voice of consumers in Romania and the European Union is heard in the global discussions on innovation, respect for rights and the fight against counterfeiting.
InfoCons will provide daily updates throughout the event, presenting the agenda of each day and the topics under discussion. We invite you to follow these materials in order to understand how the decisions taken in Geneva translate into concrete protection for consumers. The constant presence of InfoCons at this international forum confirms the organization’s commitment to defending the interests of the wider public and to helping build a fair intellectual property system that serves citizens.
Signature : InfoCons Consumer Protection and Intellectual Property Department