TRIPS

The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was the result of concerted efforts on the part of certain governments (in particular, the United States) and private sector organizations to establish adequate and effective levels of protection for intellectual property rights, and to reduce distortions and impediments to international trade arising from differing standards of protection.

TRIPS addresses a variety of intellectual property rights, including copyright, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs, patents, and trade secrets. Protection for plant varieties is also mandated, whether by patents or otherwise (such as by 'sui generis' protection, such as plant breeders' rights under the UPOV Convention). In addition to substantive provisions regarding the rights themselves, TRIPS also specifies enforcement measures, effective dispute settlement mechanisms, and transitional arrangements for WTO member countries lacking a developed inte llectual property regime.

Several issues are currently under consideration in the WTO TRIPS Council. These include:

• the patentability of biotechnological inventions, and the relationship between TRIPS, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and the protection of traditional knowledge, folklore and genetic resources.
• how TRIPS provisions can best support public health goals; and
• geographical indications, which relate to the manner in which places or country names can be used to identify the origin and quality of specific goods.

The ICC's Task Force on TRIPs is engaged in formulating policy in relation to these issues to contribute the perspective of the international business community to the debate.

The Task Force on TRIPS is chaired by:

Ivan Hjertman 

European Patent Attorney 

IP Interface AB 

Sweden

          July, 2008

• Doha Round negotiations: the inclusion of patent disclosure requirements proposals  
• The Future of TRIPS: Impact of the Doha Public Health Declaration 
  
  September, 2002
• Letter to Ambassador Menon - Chair, Council for TRIPS 
  
  August, 2003
• Initial views on the post-Doha Agenda of the Council for TRIPS 
  
  June, 2002
• TRIPS and the Biodiversity Convention: what conflict? 
  
  June, 1999

WTO's TRIPS Gateway                          
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm#TRIPSwork

Text of the TRIPS Agreement                             
http://www.wto.org/english/ docs_e/legal_e/legal_e.htm#TRIPs

TRIPS Issues                   
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm