Partners' Statement of Intent

Recognizing the critical role played by research and innovation in fostering human welfare and development, leaders in the patent database provider community have entered into a partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization to provide access to specialized patent information for researchers, educators, and professionals in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The objective of the partnership is to promote the integration of developing countries into the global knowledge economy, allowing them to more fully realize their innovative potential. To achieve this objective, the partnership – under the aegis of the Access to Specialized Patent Information (ASPI) program – will offer access to a range of patent information tools and services to industrial property offices and local academic and research institutions in least developed countries and certain developing countries.

The partnership will strive to attain the highest possible degree of effectiveness and efficiency in delivering content, providing training, and raising awareness in certain developing countries, including least developed countries.

The partnership will be based on the following principles: It intends to provide access to a range of specialized patent information databases and other content resources.

• Access will be provided at a fee, which reflects the state of national economies in the developing and least developed world and, in many cases, access may be provided at no charge.
• All revenues collected for access by certain developing countries will be remitted by the database providers to the ASPI program for training, outreach and other related uses.
• Access will be provided only to industrial property offices, and bona fide academic and research institutions.
• Eligible institutions will include those from countries classified as “least developed countries” by the United Nations and most middle income countries according to World Bank classification.
• The list of eligible countries and conditions of access may be reviewed from time to time by the partners.
• The partnership will promote respect for the domestically and internationally recognized rights of intellectual property right owners.
• The partnership recognizes the key role national governments and local organizations will play in supporting and developing the partnership.
• Additional database providers and organizations interested in providing patent and non-patent scientific and technical information or related information, providing training to end users in eligible developing countries and least developed countries, and providing other assistance that support partnership objectives will be welcomed to the program.
• Programs to monitor and evaluate the program will be instituted.
• ASPI will continue until at least 2015, in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals.
• This document constitutes a non-binding statement of intent and does not create a legal obligation for any party that signs, agrees with or otherwise acknowledges this intent.