World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is an international agency of the United Nations that helps promote and protect intellectual property rights (IPRs) around the globe. It was created in 1967 with the aim of administering the two major global treaties in the field of intellectual property: the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. However, since then, WIPO has gone far beyond the implementation of these two treaties, and now oversees a wide range of other issues related to IPRs.
WIPO is an international intergovernmental organization, operating under the aegis of the United Nations, making it the only truly global agency dedicated to the enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights. WIPO works to promote the development of international laws, regulations, and policies for the protection of intellectual property rights, to provide services for the registration, protection and enforcement of such rights, and to encourage international cooperation in this field. It also encourages the international transfer of technology by providing technical assistance and awards grants to developing countries to aid in the development of their own national systems of protecting intellectual property rights.
In addition to these key duties, WIPO is committed to helping bridge the digital divide, and is actively engaged in developing programs and initiatives related to information, communication and intellectual property. WIPO, for example, supports the introduction of new and innovative digital services and technologies targeted at protecting and managing IPRs in all countries, while at the same time protecting the legitimate rights of the creators.
WIPO also actively pursues the enforcement of international standards and norms in the legal environment for the protection of intellectual property. It works to ensure that IPRs have legal recognition in all states, and that rights holders are able to exercise their rights in the global marketplace free from infringement. Additionally, WIPO works to develop programs and initiatives to ensure that the enforcement of existing international treaties and conventions, as well as developing new ones, is accomplished in a manner that is both practical and effective.
Ultimately, WIPO seeks to create an equal playing field where all countries are able to benefit from creative works and to reap the rewards of innovation and creativity. Through its numerous programs and initiatives, WIPO continues to work tirelessly in the pursuit of a safe, secure and equitable intellectual property system worldwide.
