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Building Respect for Intellectual Property

At WIPO we work globally, with our member states as well as public and private organizations, to help develop understanding of and respect for intellectual property (IP).

Building respect for IP means helping create an environment in which IP can fulfill its role to stimulate innovation and creation.  It also means fostering an environment in which the system of protection provides equitable benefits for both owners and users of IP.

Through our activities in this area, we aim to facilitate social and economic development and welfare, in accordance with the WIPO Development Agenda (Recommendation 45). Building respect for IP requires integrating elements encompassing developments in legislation, awareness and cultural change, business and technology solutions, and institutional collaboration.

We provide the forum at which the relevant stakeholders continue to identify, discuss and elaborate creative solutions for building respect for IP.

WIPO publishes a new study by Prof. Eleonora Rosati (Stockholm University): “The localization of IP infringements in the online environment: From Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 and the Metaverse”. See more case studies.

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Building Respect for IP – An overview of recent WIPO activities in the field of building respect for IP; and developments from around the globe. Quarterly.

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WIPO's role

Policy dialogue: Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE)

The ACE is the policy arm of building respect for IP.  The Committee was established in 2002 and works on issues related to building respect, such as technical assistance, policy coordination, and public education.

Meetings and documents

Delegates at a meeting of the ACE (Photo: WIPO). More ACE photos on Flickr.

World Intellectual Property Day 2024

Effective intellectual property (IP) enforcement and building respect for IP are essential for sustainable development, especially in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health, decent work and economic growth, industry and innovation, reduced inequalities, sustainable environment and economies, as well as strong institutions and robust judicial systems. WIPO’s Building Respect for IP Division supports Member States in achieving their development goals through a robust IP ecosystem by providing advice on IP enforcement policies and effective legal frameworks, technical assistance to build human and institutional capacities, and assistance in developing impactful awareness programs to educate the public about the harms of counterfeiting and piracy.

Join us in celebrating World Intellectual Property Day 2024! Explore how IP can amplify the impact of innovative and creative solutions for building our common future and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Assistance to member states

A pillar of our work is providing technical assistance to member states (capacity building, legislative assistance) to help create a sustainable environment of respect for IP.

Cooperation with partners

Given today's increasingly borderless global world, IP issues are often best tackled in close cooperation with a range of international actors

Raising awareness

Fostering a wider understanding of and appreciation for IP assets is a key step in the path to building greater respect for IP.

Topics and issues

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Case Studies

  • The Localization of IP Infringements in the Online Environment: From Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 and the Metaverse (September 2023) 
  • The Role of the Domain Name System and Its Operators in Online Copyright Enforcement (September 2022)      
  • Copyright Infringement and the Availability of Licensed Audiovisual Content in the English-speaking Caribbean (December 2021)
(Phото: iStockphoto.com/blacklenz)

Counterfeit goods

Counterfeits impact most industries, ranging from luxury to consumer goods, affecting products as diverse as automotive replacement parts, electrical appliances, pharmaceuticals and toys. The socio-economic effects of counterfeiting may go beyond the interests of IP owners and impact upon consumers and society at large.

(Phото: Istockphoto.com/Garsya)

Private international law

IP infringements routinely impact on multiple territories, resulting in questions of jurisdiction, applicable law, and enforcement and recognition of foreign judgments.

(Phото: Project REN/UNEP)

Disposal of IP-infringing goods

Every day customs authorities around the world seize IP-infringing goods. The volume and nature of goods seized demands a planned, coordinated, and environmentally-safe approach to disposing of them.