TRIPS IMPLEMENTATION AND THE GLOBAL POLITICS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REFORMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) primarily oversees the regulation of intellectual property (IP) on a global scale. Treaties such as the Paris Convention initially governed one of the earliest areas of international trade to be subject to multilateral regulation, IP for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883) and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886). A major development in international IP law came with the adoption of the TRIPS Agreement (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) under the World Trade Organization (WTO). TRIPS set minimum standards for IP protection that member states must adhere to, covering a wide range of IP rights, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Its impact on developing countries has been mixed, largely depending on the level of IP protection already in place before these countries joined the WTO. Those with limited IP systems faced significant challenges in adapting to TRIPS standards.

Keywords: WIPO, Treaties, Trade, Protection, Patent, Copy Rights, Law