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A self-funding agency of the United Nations, World Intellectual Property Organisation is a global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information, and cooperation, having 193 member states, about 250 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), having the status of an official observer at meetings at World Intellectual Property Organisation.

A Brief History of World Intellectual Property Organisation

    • World Intellectual Property Organisation: A Brief History –  has had a wonderful but interesting history since its conception. Among some key milestones that World Intellectual Property Organisation has attained  in its history are as follows:
  • 1883 –  Paris Convention

Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property or popularly known as the Paris Convention is the first international and trademark step taken to help creators in ensuring that their intellectual works are protected in extraterritorial jurisdictions.

  • 1886 – Berne Convention

Protection of Literary and Artistic Works concurred after a mission of activism by a French author Victor Hugo which is prevalently known as the Berne Convention. 

  • 1891 – Madrid Agreement

The first International IP filing service was launched, known as the Madrid System, for International Registration of Marks with the adoption of the Madrid Agreement.

  • 1893 – BIRPI Established

The United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property (BIPRI) came into being, establishing two Secretariats to administer and implement Paris and Berne Conventions.

  • 1970 – BIRPI became the World Intellectual Property Organisation when the convention establishing the organisation came into force. Headquartered in Geneva Switzerland, World Intellectual Property Organisation became an intergovernmental organisation that was member state-led.
  • 1974 – World Intellectual Property Organisation joins the UN as a specialised agency focusing on the Intellectual Property Regime. Though it’s not obligatory for member states of the UN, they are entitled to take up membership of the specialised agencies.
  • 1994 – To offer alternative dispute resolution services and to help and solve and arbitrate international commercial disputes related to Intellectual Property between private parties, the World Intellectual Property Organisation Arbitration and Mediation Centre was established.
  • 2007 – World Intellectual Property Organisation Development Agenda aimed to ensure that IP related developmental issues are considered within the organisation’s framework. It was formally adopted.

Functions

  • For a world in flux, a policy forum to develop international intellectual property (IP) regulations that are both fair and flexible is needed.
  • Global services for IP protection and dispute resolution beyond national borders.
  • Infrastructure for interoperability of IP systems and the exchange of information.
  • Development projects that help all countries exploit intellectual property (IP) to their advantage.
  • a trusted global authority on intellectual property (IP) issues. 

Treaties

  • World Intellectual Property Organisation Performance and Phonograms Treaty

It focuses on the digital rights of two different types of beneficiaries: performers and phonogram makers.  Performers include musical artists, dancers, actors, etc.) while phonogram makers are producers who finance sound recordings. India has acceded to this treaty in 2018. 

  • Budapest Treaty

The Budapest Treaty, which came into effect in 1977, focuses on one specific area of international patent law: microorganisms. Regardless of where the depository authority is located, all states that are signatories to the Treaty are required to recognise microorganisms deposited as part of the patent procedure.

By this, the obligation of submitting organisms to each and every national authority in search of patent protection is gone. 

India has not signed this treaty. 

  • Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks

In order to register a trademark in many countries, the Madrid Protocol, or Madrid system, is the principal worldwide mechanism for facilitating the process. India acceded to this protocol in 2013. 

  • Marrakesh Treaty

It is now easier to create and distribute accessible books for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, because of the Marrakesh Treaty, which is governed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation . Traditional copyright law is limited and exempted by a number of restrictions and exceptions. Marrakesh went into force on September 30, 2016.

India was the first member to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty in 2014. 

  • World Intellectual Property Organisation Copyright Treaty

To ensure that digital works and their authors’ rights are adequately protected, the World Intellectual Property Organisation Copyright Treaty (WCT) was created. Economic rights are conferred in addition to those recognised by the Berne Convention. Computer programmes, regardless of their mode or form of expression, and compilations of data or other material are both protected by copyright in the Treaty (“databases”). India has acceded to this treaty in 2018. 

Conclusion

In the form and structure that it is known today, the World Intellectual Property Organisation displays the history and modifications that were necessary to arrive at this point. It all began with the Paris Convention in 1883. Growing from a concept to becoming an advocate for gender equality at the United Nations is an example of an organisation’s evolution, and that evolution owes a great deal to its inclusion in the UN in 1974.