What You Need to Know About Geneva, the City that Hosts the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO
The Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO is held in Geneva, Switzerland – one of the most important centres of multilateral diplomacy in the world. The choice of this city is no coincidence: Geneva hosts the headquarters of WIPO and of numerous international organizations, and is a reference point for global cooperation.
A small city with a global role
Geneva is the second-largest city in Switzerland, with a population of around 200,000 in the city itself, while together with its cross-border metropolitan area it exceeds one million. Although relatively small, the city has enormous international influence, thanks to its concentration of institutions, diplomatic missions and non-governmental organizations. Located on the shore of Lake Geneva, at the foot of the Alps, the city is also known for its famous jet d'eau, its emblematic symbol.
The world capital of international cooperation
Geneva hosts the United Nations Office at Geneva and dozens of international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and, of course, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This institutional density makes Geneva the natural venue for the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, where delegates from 193 states gather each year.
Geneva's tradition as a centre of diplomacy is long-standing, linked to the founding of the Red Cross and to the hosting of the League of Nations in the interwar period. Today, the city remains a symbol of dialogue, neutrality and cooperation – values that also characterize the work of WIPO.
WIPO headquarters
WIPO's headquarters are located in Geneva, where most statutory meetings take place, including the series of Assembly meetings. The WIPO building, modernized over the years, houses the WIPO Conference Hall, the venue for the plenary work of the Assemblies. In a hybrid format, these meetings allow both in-person participation in Geneva and online participation, with interpretation in six languages.
A useful clarification
It is worth noting that, although Geneva hosts WIPO, other institutions in the field of intellectual property have different seats: EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office) is located in Alicante, Spain, and the European Patent Office (EPO) is headquartered in Munich. This distribution reflects the complex architecture of the international and European intellectual property system, in which InfoCons is present at several levels.
For InfoCons, being present in Geneva means taking part directly where global decisions on intellectual property are made, and having the opportunity to bring the voice of Romanian and European consumers into the heart of international cooperation.
Intellectual property and the everyday consumer
Intellectual property is often perceived as a technical 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 made it and guarantees a certain standard of quality; patents make it possible for new medicines, technologies and innovative solutions to emerge; copyright rewards the work of those who create cultural and educational content. When these rights are infringed through counterfeiting or piracy, the first to suffer is often the consumer.
Counterfeit products mean not only economic losses for companies and public budgets, but also a real danger to people's health and safety. Counterfeit toys, cosmetics, car parts, medicines or electronics can endanger consumers' lives, precisely because they are made without respecting quality and safety standards. In an increasingly digital economy, where online commerce erases borders, these risks multiply, and the need for accurate, rapid information becomes essential.
That is precisely why InfoCons has developed a unique and innovative consumer protection app that allows people to check products before buying them, consult European safety alerts and report products suspected of counterfeiting or piracy. Through this digital tool, every consumer becomes an active partner in the shared effort to make the marketplace safer, more transparent and fairer.
InfoCons' participation in the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is part of this steady commitment: bringing the voice of Romanian and European consumers to the world's foremost intellectual property forum and turning global debates into concrete protection for citizens.
InfoCons, a voice for consumers in international forums
InfoCons is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO, the only consumer protection organization in Romania accredited within this international forum. This official recognition places Romania on the global map of organizations that contribute to the international dialogue in the field of intellectual property. Through its participation in WIPO meetings and working groups, InfoCons promotes consumer interests and supports policies that encourage innovation and the fight against counterfeiting.
At European level, InfoCons is an active member of the EUIPO Observatory – the European Union Intellectual Property Office – with an important role within the Civil Society Working Group. At national level, the organization has been part, 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 involvement on three levels – national, European and international – gives InfoCons a complete perspective on the counterfeiting phenomenon.
The organization's commitment translates into concrete actions: European projects dedicated to young people, large-scale awareness campaigns and an innovative app that puts information within reach of every consumer. All of these share a common denominator: the conviction that respect for intellectual property rights and consumer protection are two sides of the same coin.
In this context, the presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a natural continuation of nearly two decades of work dedicated to defending consumer interests in the field of intellectual property.
From information to action: the role of the InfoCons app
InfoCons' objective is not only to provide access to information, but also to empower consumers through digital innovation. The InfoCons app – a unique, innovative application – gives them practical tools to identify risks and actively contribute to a safer and more transparent marketplace. Through a simple barcode or QR code scan, consumers can access relevant information about products, right in front of the shelf.
One of the key features is the alerts section, which makes it possible to verify whether a product is subject to official safety alerts issued at European level, for both food and non-food products. The app provides information on the product name, the country concerned, the level of risk, the country of origin, the date the alert was published and an image of the product. At the same time, through dedicated functionalities, citizens can report products or services that may infringe intellectual property rights through counterfeiting or piracy.
Available in 33 languages, the app helps to disseminate consumer protection and intellectual property awareness messages at European and international level. Its educational dimension promotes informed choices and a culture based on responsibility, transparency and originality.
The presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a concrete demonstration of how digital innovation can support respect for intellectual property rights and protect consumers in Romania and around the world.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection and Intellectual Property Department