WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. We are a self-funding, specialized agency of the United Nations, dedicated to making IP work for innovation and creativity. At WIPO we believe that IP and innovation go hand-in-hand. IP is about rewarding people for their ideas and original creations. It is about encouraging businesses to invest in innovations and new solutions. It is a means of enabling innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
Intellectual property is everywhere! This colorful little booklet introduces the main types of IP, with plenty of interesting facts and examples. It is designed to appeal in particular to adolescents and young people.
As a ‘Specialized Agency’ of the UN, the World Intellectual Property Organization aims to be the premier global forum for intellectual property services, policy, information and cooperation. Whilst many individuals, firms, institutions and governments know and use WIPO services, the ways in which it functions, how priorities are set and decisions made are less well-understood. Indeed, a diversity of WIPO’s stakeholders and member governments express frustration that WIPO’s governance is not only complex but at times opaque. This practical guide offers a unique insight into how WIPO is governed, described in clear, readily accessible terms for policymakers, scholars and stakeholders. The guide reviews the origins of WIPO and sets out its current functions and activities, presenting a framework for analysing WIPO’s complex governance system. The core of the text will improve the reader’s understanding of WIPO in five thematic areas: • Legal foundations, mandate and purpose • Decision-making structures, processes and practices • Financial arrangements (such as income sources and the budget process) • Mechanisms for accountability and control of the Secretariat (such as policies on oversight, audit and evaluation) • Transparency and external relations. The text is accompanied by a number of valuable appendices, including key documents that have, to date, not been readily available to the public. Written by a leading WIPO commentator, The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): A Reference Guide is the first comprehensive reference book to illuminate the nuts and bolts of WIPO governance. It will prove an invaluable and handy resource for those who interact with WIPO on any level, as well as to researchers seeking an introduction to how the organisation works.
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind – everything from works of art to inventions, computer programs to trademarks and other commercial signs. This booklet introduces the main types of IP and explains how the law protects them. It also introduces the work of WIPO, the global forum for IP services, policy, information and cooperation.
2020 marks the 50th year of the coming into force of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Convention 1967 and the formal establishment of WIPO. This unique and wide-ranging Research Handbook brings together eminent scholars and experts who assess WIPO's role and programmes during its first half-century, as well as discussing the challenges facing the organization as it enters its second.
In order to place the 25 years in a historical context, the essay does, exceptionally, deal also with pre-1967 events and with post-1992 possibilities.
This forward-looking book examines the issue of intellectual property (IP) law reform, considering both the reform of primary IP rights, and the impact of secondary rights on such reforms. It reflects on the distinction between primary and secondary rights, offering new international perspectives on IP reform, and exploring both the intended and unintended consequences of changing primary rights or adding secondary rights.
This brochure explains how the IPC Green Inventory can give direct access to the latest patent information about technologies in a number of fields including alternative energy production, energy conservation, transportation, waste management, and agriculture and forestry
This is the first comprehensive review of the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) established in 2000. It provides an in-depth consideration of the key thematic areas within WIPO discussions – genetic resources (GRs), traditional knowledge (TK) and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) through the perspectives of a broad range of experts and stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and local communities. It also looks at how these areas have been treated in a number of forums and settings (including national systems and experiences, and also in trade agreements) and the interface with WIPO discussions. Furthermore, the book analyses the process and the negotiation dynamics since the IGC received a mandate from WIPO members, in 2009, to undertake formal text-based negotiations towards legal instruments for the protection of GR, TK and TCEs. While there has been some progress in these negotiations, important disagreements persist. If these are to be resolved, the adoption of these legal instruments would be a significant development towards resolving key gaps in the modern intellectual property system. In this regard, the book considers the future of the IGC and suggests options which could contribute towards achieving a consensual outcome.
