WIPO Tools and Resources: A Quick Guide
- Dalaisha Aggarwal
- 12 minutes ago
- 5 min read
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) provides a host of tools and resources related to the protection, management and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) around the world. These tools aim to help inventors, creators, businesses, governments, researchers, as well as legal professionals navigate diverse IP systems effectively (given IP law varies by jurisdiction). Here is a summary of the key tools and resources offered by WIPO:
The WIPO Academy “is the center of excellence for IP education, training and skills-building for WIPO member states, in particular developing countries, least developed countries and countries in transition. The Academy works to help build human capacity in IP which is essential to innovation and creativity.” It has six training programmes which include both general and specialised courses on IP, delivered through a combination of physical and/or distance learning methods. The course catalog contains details of each course along with the procedure to enroll. Interestingly, the WIPO Academy courses span across generational learning, with courses outlined for IP education in primary and secondary schools, all the way to specialised training in Judicial IP education, and for diplomats and trade officials. The WIPO Academy also ensures global accessibility and multilingual IP education (in up to 10 languages!), specifically tailored for the needs of developing and least developed countries. Whether you are a student, inventor, entrepreneur, government official, educator or IP Professional, the WIPO Academy is a great initiative to understand the complexities of IP law, thereby bringing the law closer to the masses.
The WIPO Green Network supports commercial partnerships by providing a platform where the green technologies providers can connect with those in the quest for sustainable solutions, such as through regional ‘matchmaking’ events. To balance the interests of negotiating parties, the Network provides a “licensing checklist” in case of technology transfer licensing agreements. The checklist is non-exhaustive, and it includes sections on the kind of agreement, the subject matter, which type of IP it is protected by, what rights are available to parties and on what financial terms, and how the agreement can be terminated. Thus, the network ensures adequate collaboration and partnership between the technology providers and the locals by bringing them on a common platform to negotiate matters related to green IPRs. For more information on WIPO Green, refer to our previous on the topic here.
A onestop shop for statistical, legal, or technical information related to IPs, this database provides a comprehensive range of resources and reference materials, including empirical studies, reports, and factual information. It is categorised based on different IP as follows:
Patent Information: It includes PATENTSCOPE, Technology and Innovation Support Centres, and the International Patent Classification (IPC). Each of these sources contain data of all patents, whether granted or in the application stage, including details of inventor, a description of claimed invention and newest development in the field of technology. This facilitates a relatively easier search for patent applications and patent documents from national and regional offices. These tools may be used for patent research and development, to determine freedom to operate, and for novelty checks.
Trademark Information: WIPO offers the Global Brand Database, Madrid Monitor, and the Article 6ter Express Database. These allow users to search for existing/registered trademarks, their origin, and protected state emblems. Users can check the trademarks that have already been registered to avoid a potential conflict before registering a new one.
Industrial Design Information: The Global Design Database, International Designs Bulletin, and Hague Express Database provide access to industrial designs registrations, their renewals, and modifications affecting international registrations.
Geographical Indication (GI) Information: The Lisbon Express Database and a Global Brand Database for GIs allow users to search the GIs registered in different countries.
As a tool to promote access to legal information on IP laws, the WIPO Lex Database is a global database which provides access free of cost to various countries’ IP laws and regulations of WIPO-administered and IP-related treaties, and landmark precedents on IP. It is extremely helpful for users who are undertaking legal research, especially a comprehensive comparative analysis.
The Portal is a specially designed, integrated platform that provides centralized access to all of WIPO’s IP-related services. Its key features include having a single account with multiple services (where users can create one profile and get access to numerous IP systems), access to core services (such as the PCT system for patents, the Madrid system for trademarks, and the Hague System for industrial designs), online filing and management of registration applications, with built in encryption and secure login features. It facilitates IPR applications and portfolio management.
Built with powerful AI capabilities, WIPO’s Translate tool enables the easy, automated translation of patent documents, scientific articles, and other technical content. It aims to break language barriers while promoting access to information on protected IP. It simultaneously ensures confidentiality and data security of the subject matter of protection.
Recognising that genetic resources do not qualify for patent protection, the Centre focuses on promoting the patentability of inventions keeping these genetic resources in mind. In addition, the centre focuses on protecting traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, including practices relating to agriculture, trade, life sciences, sustainable development, etc. This centre is particularly important for indigenous people whose contributions have been overlooked, misappropriated, and even exploited without their consent or in the absence of a benefit-sharing mechanism. (For more information on access and benefit sharing, refer to our post on the subject here).
WIPO periodically undertakes studies and publishes reports and guides on patents, trademarks, copyright, etc. For instance, the IP Guides for Businesses provide small and medium-sized enterprises with essential information on why IPs are important and how they may be protected. Similarly, the WIPO Clip (Copyright Law and Industry Practices) is a knowledge-sharing platform that provides insights into how copyright laws and licensing practices interact in the music industry.
Below is an image of a WIPO Publication titled “World Intangible Investment Highlights 2025”. It is a concise report of just 19 pages, but is comprehensive in its scope of coverage. It contains scientific data on the global intangible economy, which acts as the starting point for effective development policy design.
All these publications and platforms are interactive and easy to follow, enabling users to absorb information easily.
The Centre promises time and cost-efficient dispute resolution mechanisms, allowing parties to navigate complex domestic or cross-border commercial disputes on their own terms. It is widely used for matters arising from global licensing deals, international patent infringement, and multi-national tech collaborations. It is also the leading provider of domain name dispute resolution services, allowing parties to resolve their dispute entirely online while ensuring party autonomy and confidentiality in the process.
The above-listed WIPO tools and resources are crucial to the development of an accessible, transparent, and efficient IP system. They provide support for innovation, creativity, and fair use through databases, legal publications, training programmes, and ADR mechanisms which fulfil the twin objectives of IP Protection. However, the challenge lies in raising awareness about these tools and resources, particularly in developing and least developed economies. The resources are scattered through the WIPO website with multiple portals for different tools. The user feels further overwhelmed by the long lists of tools with content heavy texts using legal jargon foreign to a common man. While an ‘IP head’ like me found it difficult to navigate WIPO's website to consolidate the data in a comprehensible manner, I only wonder how overwhelming it must be for a normal user! Meeting these challenges with strong enforcement measures, such as local capacity building and iniatives to enhance user friendliness, is critical in improving their global impact.
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