WIPO committee recognises "importance" of design convergence work

A recent WIPO media release, "Member States Address Non-Traditional Marks, Advance Work on Industrial Designs" (Geneva, July 2, 2010, PR/2010/650) contains the "D" word in its title but is mainly about trade marks. In short, WIPO’s Standing Committee on Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) met last week to address (among other things) "industrial design law issues". At the conclusion of its 23rd session, SCT Chairperson Adil El Maliki (Director General of the Patent and Trade Mark Office, Morocco) said

“All delegations attached great importance to the work of the SCT on possible convergences in the industrial design law and practice of member states and that the SCT supported the advancement of that work.”

This is probably a coded message that means "We think we're going to need a few more trips to Geneva to discuss this one ...". Despite the great importance of the subject, no further reference to it could be found in the media release.