WIPO Internet Domain Name Process

THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNET NAMES AND ADDRESSES:
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES

Final Report
of the
WIPO Internet Domain Name Process

April 30, 1999

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is an organization founded through a treaty by States, which has 171 States of the World as members. The member States established the Organization as the vehicle for promoting the protection, dissemination and use of intellectual property throughout the world for economic, cultural and social development.

The Organization provides services both to its Member States and to the individuals and enterprises that are constituent of those States.

The services provided by WIPO to its member States include the provision of a forum for the development and implementation of intellectual property policies internationally through treaties and other policy instruments.

The services provided to the private sector by WIPO include the administration of systems that make it possible to obtain protection for patents, trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications in multiple countries through a single international procedure.

The operations of WIPO are financed as to 88 per cent by fees generated by the Organization for the services it renders to the private sector, and as to the remaining 12 per cent by contributions made by the Member States.

Summary of Contents