New venue for new policy and actors? Tracing participation and debate on digital copyright and emerging technologies in WIPO and WTO

Recent technological developments like blockchain, metaverse, or artificial intelligence raise questions on applicability of copyright provisions in the digital sphere. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are important international fora for copyright policies debates. Drawing on the literature on international organizations governance and stakeholder lobbying, we asked: What types of actors are involved in discussions on digital copyright in WIPO and WTO? What are the differences regarding the gatekeeping rules and the agenda of both organizations? What are the main topics in the agenda, and do they relate to challenges triggered by emerging technologies? To trace participation and debates we applied qualitative content analysis of four policy fora-related documents in 2019-2023. The research revealed a shift of debate on copyright and emerging technologies in WIPO from a traditional to a new discussion forum, and prevalence of other topics in WTO. While WIPO was open to a range of non-state stakeholders, WTO was closed to national delegations, which confirms differences regarding institutional access and relevance of gatekeeping rules. We argue that new policy topics and actors are more likely to emerge in a venue which offers new lobbying opportunities to better frame policy debate.