Intellectual Property
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. WIPO was established by the WIPO Convention in 1967 with a mandate from its Member States to promote the protection of IP throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. The Director General is Francis Gurry.
United States Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO advises the President of the United States, the Secretary of Commerce, and U.S. Government agencies on intellectual property (IP) policy, protection, and enforcement; and promotes the stronger and more effective IP protection around the world. The USPTO furthers effective IP protection for U.S. innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide by working with other agencies to secure strong IP provisions in free trade and other international agreements. It also provides training, education, and capacity building programs designed to foster respect for IP and encourage the development of strong IP enforcement regimes by U.S. trading partners.
European Patent Office (EPO). The European Patent Office (EPO) provides a uniform application procedure for individual inventors and companies seeking patent protection in up to 40 European countries. It is the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation and is supervised by the Administrative Council. Further information:
- European Patent Organisation
- The European Patent Office
- Boards of Appeal
- European Patent Academy
- European Patent Network
Japan Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) offers the public access to IP Gazettes of the JPO free of charge through the Internet. The Japan Patent Office (JPO) is responsible for the protection of the rights for patents for inventions, utility models for devices, industrial designs, and trademarks. In Japan, these four kinds of rights are called “industrial property rights.”
