IP Law & Policy

In the Pipeline: A New Treaty for Designers

Design is all around us, but protecting it is a challenge. Success at the upcoming Diplomatic Conference in Riyadh would lead to a new international treaty that will facilitate design protection worldwide.

The New WIPO Treaty 25 Years in the Making: What Does It Mean and What Happens Next?

Designed to curb biopiracy, a historic new WIPO treaty builds bridges between IP, Indigenous Peoples, biotech and biodiversity conservation efforts.

Can Access to Published Research Help Local Science and Innovation?

Low-cost access to information can drive research and clinical trials in developing economies and contribute to SDGs. But different regions are affected in different ways. So how can low-performing institutions catch up?

In the Courts: The US Supreme Court’s Warhol decision revisits the boundaries of fair use

In May 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision on the Warhol case. The decision upheld the claim by the celebrity photographer, Lynn Goldsmith, that the Andy Warhol Foundation (AWF) had infringed her copyright in a photo of the late entertainer Prince, when, after Prince’s death in 2016, the Foundation licensed an illustration by Andy Warhol based on that photo, to Vanity Fair for a cover.

Resolving Life Sciences Disputes Beyond the Courts

The multi-trillion dollar life sciences industry is dynamic, innovative and complex, making it more prone to disputes than other sectors. Why is it that many within the sector now see mediation and arbitration as useful alternatives to court litigation?

In the Courts: Ed Sheeran Succeeds in Music Copyright Infringement Case, but it’s not over yet…

In May 2023, a US court found that Ed Sheeran’s hit Thinking Out Loud did not copy Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On. The crux of this case was that while parts of the two songs are similar, those parts are unprotected elements that are freely available for everyone to use.

The Right to Repair: Recent Developments in the USA

Do you automatically think you have the right to repair your smartphone or any other electronic product you own? The fascinating debate around the right-to-repair, in which IP rights are central, reveals that this is not always the case.

Is an International Agreement on IP, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge Finally in Sight?

International agreement on IP, genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge finally in sight with decision to hold a diplomatic conference by 2024. Next steps and the high-level policy conundrum negotiators need to unravel.

Patent Office Sustainability and the Role of Artificial Intelligence

To improve processing times, a number of patent offices are turning to AI-powered solutions to help them tackle the rising volume and complexity of patent applications.

Arbitration and mediation: resolving patent licensing disputes in the world of standardized technology

Standardized technology ensures the digital devices we use every day communicate seamlessly. The so-called standard essential patents that underpin a technology standard and the terms under which they are licensed can trigger legal disputes. Arbitration and mediation offers notable benefits in handling them.

Digital economy: the search for new governance mechanisms

The expansion of the digital economy is raising important ethical questions about the use, governance and regulation of big data and artificial intelligence. Can the search for new digital governance approaches benefit from consideration of Eastern philosophies and approaches.

Apheris: solving the data privacy dilemma

How do you enable sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) tools while respecting the privacy and protecting Intellectual Property of data assets? Apheris, a Berlin-based startup believes federated learning provides the answer.

IP and youth: educating our future innovators

Young people today are demanding an education that will give them with the knowledge and skills to make sustainability a reality. How are educators responding and what are the benefits of entrepreneurial education in a rapidly changing world?

Photography, Indigenous cultures and climate action

Find out how photography is being used by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities around the world to highlight the role played by these communities in fighting climate change and how WIPO’s Photography Prize for Indigenous Peoples and Local Community Youth 2021-2022 is supporting that goal.

International negotiations on Indigenous knowledge to resume at WIPO: a view of the journey so far and the way ahead

A view of the twists and turns of international negotiations on Indigenous knowledge at WIPO, which are set to resume after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus. What will it take for negotiators to make history and get these negotiations across the line?

In the Courts: Australian Court finds AI systems can be “inventors”

In a world first, a judge of the Federal Court of Australia has found that artificial intelligence is capable of being an “inventor” for the purposes of the Australian patent regime. Find out more about Justice Beach’s decision.

Working ethically with Indigenous cultural and intellectual property: Australia launches new protocols

In September 2020, the Australia Council for the Arts released the latest edition of its Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts, which aims to bridge the existing legal gap and provide traditional knowledge protection by recognizing and engendering respect for customary practice.

Climate action and sustainability: Indigenous peoples are part of the solution