World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

About

• The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the oldest specialized organizations of the United Nations.
• WIPO was created in 1967 “to encourage innovative interest, to promote the safety of highbrow property in the course of the world”.
• WIPO presently administers 26 international treaties.
• It is situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Every year World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated on 26th April.

Status of WIPO Membership

• WIPO currently has 193 member states.
• All member states of the UN are entitled, though no longer obliged, to emerge as members of the specialized businesses like WIPO.
• 190 of UN member states as well as Cook Islands, Holy See and Niue are participants of WIPO.
• Palestine has permanent observer popularity.
• Besides 281 non-governmental corporations (NGOs) and 47 intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) 17 UN system of corporations and 10 IP agencies have professional observer reputation at WIPO meetings.
• India joined WIPO in 1975.

Functions

• Policy forum to form balanced global IP regulations for a converting global.
• Global services to protect IP across borders and to solve disputes.
• Technical infrastructure to connect IP structures and share knowledge.
• Cooperation and capability-building applications to allow all countries to apply IP for monetary, social and cultural development.
• A global reference source for IP information.

WIPO’s Limitations and Exceptions

• In order to maintain the best balance between the pursuits of rightholders and customers of covered works, copyright laws permit certain limitations on monetary rights.
• These are cases in which covered works may be used without the authorization of the rights holder and with or without cost of repayment.
• Limitations and exceptions is an issue taken into consideration within the schedule of the WIPO.
• The debate has been centered in particular on 3 agencies of beneficiaries or sports on the subject of exceptions and obstacles – on instructional sports, on libraries and information and on disabled individuals, in particular visually impaired folks.

WIPO-administered International Treaties and Conventions 

• Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
• Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• Patent Cooperation Treaty
• Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in admire of Integrated Circuits
• Nairobi Treaty at the Protection of the Olympic Symbol

WIPO and India

• India joined the WIPO in 1975.
• India is part of the subsequent WIPO Treaties:
  • IPO Convention (1975)
  • Paris Convention (1998)
  • Berne Convention (1928)
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty (1998)
  • Phonograms Convention (1975)
  • Nairobi Treaty (1983)
  • Nice Agreement (2019)
  • Locarno Agreement (2019)
  • Vienna Agreement (2019)
• India acceded to all of the above treaties. India was the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty.

Publications

• Global Innovation Index – an annual ranking of countries by their capability for, and success in, innovation.
• It is posted in affiliation with Cornell University and INSEAD.
• India has jumped places within the Global Innovation Index (GII) in recent years. In the 2022 GII, India is ranked 40th role out of 132, that is a large leap from preceding years.
• Since 2011, India has been the top-ranked modern country in the Southern and Central Asia region.
• India has been outperforming on innovation relative to its GDP in line with capita for eight years at a stretch.
• On innovation quality, India ranks 2nd among middle-income economies globally.
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a GII Knowledge Partner considering 2009.
• In India, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry deals with WIPO and related issues.

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