Official statement from the representatives of the Commonwealth of Dominica 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO

Official statement from the representatives of the Commonwealth of Dominica – 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

During the 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the representatives of the Commonwealth of Dominica delivered an official statement during today's plenary session. InfoCons is present in Geneva and is participating in the WIPO Assemblies, representing Romania through its own delegation. The WIPO Assemblies will continue until July 15, 2026, bringing together Member States and participating organizations to discuss key issues in the field of intellectual property.

The participation of the Commonwealth of Dominica in this year's Assemblies reflects the growing importance that Member States attach to intellectual property as a driver of innovation, economic development and cultural creativity. Delegations gathered in Geneva are reviewing the progress made across WIPO's programmes and shaping the policy directions that will guide the international intellectual property system in the years ahead.

In their address to the plenary, delegations typically highlight national priorities in the field of intellectual property, from strengthening institutions and modernizing legislation to supporting innovators, protecting cultural heritage and combating counterfeiting and piracy. These interventions feed into the broader work of the Assemblies, where government delegates, intergovernmental and international organizations, and observers from civil society and the business community come together to keep the global intellectual property system balanced, modern and responsive to new technological and economic challenges.

For InfoCons, taking part in these proceedings is an opportunity to ensure that the voice of consumers is heard in a forum traditionally dominated by governments, rights holders and industry representatives. The organization follows the debates closely, contributes to discussions on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, and works to ensure that the fight against counterfeiting and piracy is understood not only as an economic concern but also, and above all, as a matter of public health and consumer safety.

About Dominica

Dominica, situated in the Caribbean, on the continent of North America, is one of the Member States represented in the Assemblies. The overview below sets out some essential facts about the country before turning to its national intellectual property framework.

With a territory of approximately 751 km² and a population of approximately 73,000, and with its capital at Roseau, the country brings its own perspective and priorities to the international intellectual property agenda discussed at WIPO.

Intellectual Property in Dominica

Intellectual property in the Commonwealth of Dominica is administered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), a department within the Ministry responsible for national security and home affairs. CIPO handles the registration of trademarks, patents and companies, as well as copyright matters, offering a single institutional point of contact for creators and businesses.

As a small island developing state, Dominica – known as the 'Nature Isle of the Caribbean' – has a strong interest in using intellectual property to support tourism, agriculture and its emerging creative industries. Its engagement with WIPO reflects the wider commitment of Caribbean nations to modernizing their intellectual property frameworks and to ensuring that the global system is accessible to small economies.

Who 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 across 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 policy-making and 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 annually in ordinary or extraordinary sessions. These meetings give member states the opportunity to take stock of the progress achieved in the Organization's work and to discuss future policy directions. The Diplomatic Engagement and Assemblies Affairs Division acts as the secretariat for WIPO's governing bodies.

The Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO (A/68) is being held in Geneva, at WIPO headquarters, from 7 to 15 July 2026, in a hybrid format that allows both in-person and online participation. The proceedings are supported by interpretation in six languages – English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic – and gather government delegates, representatives of international and intergovernmental organizations, and observers from civil society and the business community. Morning sessions run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and afternoon sessions from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Geneva time).

InfoCons – a Member of WIPO

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.

Why Intellectual Property Matters for Consumers

Intellectual property is often perceived as a technical field concerning only inventors, companies and lawyers. In reality, it has a direct impact on the everyday lives of ordinary people. Trademarks help consumers identify the products they trust; patents protect the innovations that improve health, mobility and communication; and copyright and related rights sustain the books, music, films and software that enrich cultural life. When these rights are infringed through counterfeiting or piracy, consumers are exposed to unsafe products, misleading information and financial loss, while creators and legitimate businesses are deprived of the rewards of their work.

This is why InfoCons places the protection of intellectual property at the intersection of innovation policy and consumer protection. Counterfeit goods – from toys and cosmetics to medicines, electronics and car parts – can pose serious risks to health and safety, precisely because they bypass the quality and safety controls that legitimate manufacturers are required to respect. Raising awareness of these dangers, and giving people the practical tools to recognize and avoid such products, is a central part of the organization's mission and the reason why its work at forums such as WIPO matters far beyond the negotiating room.

The InfoCons Application – Consumer Protection in 33 Languages

InfoCons has developed the free mobile application InfoCons – Protectia Consumatorilor, available in 33 languages, which makes it accessible to consumers all over the world, regardless of the language they speak. It is a unique application that brings together, in a single platform, 33 applications in one, offering a wide range of tools designed to help people make safer and better-informed choices in their everyday lives.

One of the most important features of the application is the Alert (Alerta) section, which allows users to quickly identify products that have been flagged as non-compliant and that present a risk of counterfeiting. By consulting this section, consumers can check whether a product they intend to buy, or already own, has been reported by the competent authorities, thereby protecting their health, their safety and their household budget from the dangers associated with counterfeit and non-compliant goods.

Through this application, InfoCons empowers consumers to become active participants in the fight against counterfeiting and to defend their rights on a daily basis. The tool reflects the organization's broader mission of combining education, information and technology, so that the protection of intellectual property translates into concrete, tangible benefits for ordinary people.

In this way, the application bridges the gap between high-level international policy and the daily reality of consumers. The discussions held at WIPO on protecting trademarks, tackling counterfeiting and promoting respect for intellectual property rights find a practical echo in a tool that ordinary people can use, free of charge, whenever they shop or check a product. It is a concrete illustration of InfoCons' conviction that intellectual property protection is not an abstract legal matter, but something that directly affects the health, safety and budget of every family.

Conclusion

Through its presence in Geneva at the 68th Series of Meetings of the WIPO Assemblies, InfoCons continues to represent Romania and the interests of consumers in the global conversation on intellectual property. By connecting the work of international institutions such as WIPO with practical tools like its multilingual application, InfoCons demonstrates how the protection of intellectual property rights and the fight against counterfeiting translate into concrete benefits for citizens, protecting their health, their safety and their trust in the products they use every day.