IP Services

International Patent Protection – Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System

The PCT System allows inventors and applicants to seek patent protection in a large number of countries by filing a single international application with a single patent office.  Filing and processing patent applications through the PCT:

• brings the world within reach;
• postpones the major costs associated with international patent protection;
• provides valuable information about potential patentability of the invention;
• is safe and easy with WIPO's electronic filing software.
   

International Trademark Registration (Madrid System)

The Madrid System offers trademark owners the possibility to protect a trademark in multiple countries by filing a single application with a national or regional trademark office.  International trademark registration through the Madrid system:

• does away with the need to file multiple applications at different offices;
• covers over 80 countries from around the world;
• facilitates management of the mark, as changes or renewals can be recorded through a single procedural step.
   

International Design Registration (Hague System)

The Hague System allows applicants to register an industrial design in multiple countries with a minimum of formalities and expense.  Choosing the Hague system to protect industrial designs internationally:

• does away with the need to file multiple registrations at different offices;
• lets applicants register up to 100 industrial designs with a single form;
• facilitates management of registered designs, as changes or renewals can be recorded through a single procedural step.
   

International Registration of Appellations of Origin (Lisbon System)

The Lisbon System facilitates the international protection of appellations of origin through one single registration procedure.  The Lisbon system:

• does away with the need to file multiple registrations at different offices;
• covers over two dozen countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
   

Alternative Dispute Resolution

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is the leading resource in the resolution of IP disputes outside the courts.  It offers specialized procedures including arbitration, mediation and expert determination for the resolution of international commercial disputes between private parties.  The Center’s procedures are designed as efficient and inexpensive alternatives to court proceedings and may take place in any country, in any language and under any law.
 

Domain Name Dispute Resolution

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is internationally recognized as the leading dispute resolution service provider for challenges related to abusive registration and use of Internet domain names, a practice commonly known as “cybersquatting.”   Applicable to all international domains and a growing number of country code domains, the resolution procedure is conducted in electronic format and results in enforceable decisions within two months.
 

International Classifications

Applicants for national or international IP protection are required to determine whether their creation is new or is owned or claimed by someone else.  To determine this, huge amounts of information must be searched.  International classification systems facilitate such searches by organizing information concerning inventions, trademarks and industrial designs into indexed, manageable structures for easy retrieval.
 

Protection of State Emblems (Article 6ter)

The protection of State emblems, and names, abbreviations and emblems of international intergovernmental organizations is governed by Article 6ter of the Paris Convention, administered by WIPO.