Covid-19 Update: WIPO’s IP Services

April 9, 2020

(Original date of publication: March 20, 2020)

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is continuing operations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs, the Lisbon System for the International Registration of Geographical Indications as well as administering other intellectual property (IP) and related systems.

WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center (AMC) is also continuing its important work in processing domain name disputes under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) and other alternative dispute resolution cases.

WIPO has activated its business continuity protocol and moved to an almost entirely virtual work presence, with only a small pool of personnel retaining access to our Geneva, Switzerland headquarters. This is in line with public health authorities’ guidance to curb the further spread of Covid-19.

We are committed to ensuring that any transitional issues experienced by users, IP offices and any other stakeholders in our processes are kept to a minimum despite these challenging circumstances.

As updates become available, users of our Global IP Systems and the AMC can find more information as follows:

For IP offices and member states, netting payments as well as monthly and annual distribution payments are proceeding as scheduled. Further updates, as necessary, will be available on the Finance webpage.

As WIPO has previously communicated, its offices are physically closed for non-essential staff and all events and meetings organized or co-organized by WIPO in Geneva or elsewhere up until the end of May will be postponed, and should that not be possible, cancelled. Insofar as the May 7-8, 2020, WIPO General Assembly is concerned, consultations are ongoing between the Secretariat, the Chair of the WIPO General Assembly and the Coordinators of the WIPO Regional Groups.