Diplomatic Conference on Certain Copyright and Neighboring Rights Questions (1996)

Geneva, December 2 to 20, 1996

The Delegations participating in the Diplomatic Conference on Certain Copyright and Neighboring Rights Questions in Geneva,

Recognizing that databases are a vital element in the development of a global information infrastructure;

Conscious of the importance of encouraging further development of databases;

Aware of the need to strike a balance between the interests of the producers of databases in protection from unfair copying and the interests of users in having appropriate access to the benefits of a global information infrastructure;

Expressing interest in examining further the possible implications and benefits of a sui generis system of protection of databases at the international level;

Noting that a treaty on such a sui generis system was not negotiated or adopted at the Conference;

Recommend the convocation of an extraordinary session of the competent WIPO Governing Bodies during the first quarter of 1997 to decide on the schedule of further preparatory work on a Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Databases.