Intellectual Property Watch’s reporting spanned a variety of IP policies, relevant fora, and themes.
Explore articles by category below.
Copyright
Copyright law grants rights over creative works such as books, art, music, performances, and software.
Patents
Patents grant rights over inventions that are novel, useful and non-obvious; for example, new medicines or industrial designs.
Trademarks
Trademarks grant rights over logos, slogans, colours or other symbols used to demarcate a particular brand.
WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialised agency of the UN tasked with management of intellectual property.
WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialised agency of the UN tasked with management of global public health, health emergences, and norms.
WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental body governing trade. Its TRIPS Agreement sets international norms on intellectual property and trade.
ITU/ICANN
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are different organisations managing digital technologies and the internet.
Other UN Bodies
Several other UN bodies also interact with IP law; for example, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Bilaterals/Regionals
IP negotiations are not always at the multi-lateral level; some may be between two or more countries or regions.
Africa
Asia/Pacific
Europe
Latin America/ Caribbean
North America
Access to Knowledge
Access to knowledge concerns a global discussion aimed at ensuring equitable access to education, technology, culture and other informational resources as a matter of social justice.
Genetic Resources
Genetic resources refer to genetic material of actual or potential value, often including plants, animals, and microbes and seen as inherent to biodiversity protection, biotechnology, and benefit-sharing.
Finance
Financing for multilateral work and also for research and development is a perennial conversation in the management of IP law.
Health
IP intersects with public health over issues of medical technology pricing (especially while a patent grants a monopoly on an important product), and on incentives for new medical innovation.
Human Rights
IP and human rights deals with the intersection of fundamental human rights (access to health, education and cultural participation) and rights afforded to private entities such as patents or copyright.
Internet Governance
Internet governance involves the development of protocols, principles, technical standards, and norms that allow for the sending and receiving of data online, including the domain registration system..
Lobbying
Lobbying concerns efforts from companies, investors and other stakeholders to influence governance at the national, regional and multilateral levels.
Technology Transfer
Technology transfer involves the sharing of intellectual property, technology, know-how, and other necessary data to enable technology development in new institution or location.
Image Credits: FLickr РTimetrax 23, Flickr РJeff Kubina, Catherine Saez, Monika Ermert, Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+), United Nations РJean Marc Ferr̩, Flickr РMiller Center