The document provides information about intellectual property and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It discusses the different types of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, geographical indications, and copyrights. It describes WIPO's role in developing an international intellectual property system and its strategic goals and activities, including its SMEs Division which aims to promote IP use by small and medium enterprises. The document also summarizes IP tools that can support SME development and provides African examples of geographical indications and appellations of origin.

1. ABOUT IP AND WIPO SMEs DIVISION
STRUCTURE, INFORMATION & ACTIVITIES
IP PANORAMA MODULES FOR SMEs
Mrs. Caroline Schwab - Program Officer - WIPO SMEs Division
WIPO-ARIPO National Seminar on IP and Competitiveness of SMEs
Harare, February 7 to 9, 2007

2. WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY?
.

3. WHAT IS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?
Intellectual property refers to creations of the
mind: inventions, literary and artistic works,
and symbols, names, images, innovations (new
products) and designs used in commerce.

4. WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?
Intellectual property is divided into two categories:
(I)
INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY
which includes inventions (patents),
trademarks, industrial designs, and
geographic indications of source.

5. (II)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (Copyrights)
which includes literary and artistic works such
as novels, poems and plays, films, musical
works, artistic works such as drawings, hand-
crafts, paintings, photographs and sculptures,
and architectural designs.

6. (II)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
(Copyrights)
Rights related to copyright include those of
performing artists in their performances,
producers of phonograms in their recordings,
and those of broadcasters in their radio and
television programs.

7. WHAT IS WIPO?
The World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United
Nations. It is dedicated to develop a balanced
and accessible
INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY (IP) SYSTEM,

8. WHAT IS WIPO?
It is dedicated to develop an international
Intellectual Property (IP) system, which
rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and
contributes to economic development while
safeguarding the public interest.

9. WHAT IS WIPO?
WIPO was established by the
WIPO CONVENTION
in 1967 with a mandate from its 183
member states as off 2007 - see under:
http://www.wipo.int/members/en

10. WHAT IS WIPO?
WIPO was established to promote the
protection of IP throughout the world
through cooperation among states and in
collaboration with other international
organizations.

11. STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTIVITIES
WIPO’s vision is focused on the IP legal and business
aspects which are vital for the economic, social and cultural
development of all countries.
His mission is to promote the effective use of the IP
system, work with the IP offices and guide the users, on
how to use more strategically the IP system, worldwide.

12. THE FIVE STRATEGIC GOALS OF WIPO ARE:
1) To promote an IP culture;
2) To integrate IP into national
development policies and programs;
3) To develop international IP laws and
standards;

13. THE FIVE STRATEGIC GOALS OF WIPO ARE:
4) To deliver quality services in global IP
protection systems; and
5) To increase the efficiency of WIPO’s
programs, activities and information
(databases).

14. As of today, 183 states are members of WIPO Convention.
Every year, WIPO Member States determine the strategic
direction and activities of the Organization. They meet in the
Assemblies, committees and working groups.
The WIPO Secretariat, or International Bureau, is based in
Geneva. WIPO staff, drawn from more than 90 countries,
include experts in diverse areas of IP law and practice, as well
as specialists in public policy, economics, administration and IT.

15. NGOs, IGOs, Civil Society
WIPO works with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including
other intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental
organizations, representatives of civil society and of industry
groups. Some 250 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
and International Governmental Organizations (IGOs) currently
have official observer status at WIPO meetings.

16. 24 treaties are administered by the World Intellectual Property
Organization - which list is under the url:
http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/
(* building of Geneva WIPO’s headquarters)
(*)

17. An international Arbitration and Mediation Center
http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/
A public information center
http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/info_center/infocen.htm
Direct information on IP for Business
http://www.wipo.int/sme/en/
ACCESSIBLE
INFORMATION AND
MEDIATION SERVICES

18. PCT INFORMATION SERVICE (PATENTS):
http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/infoline.htm
MADRID EXPRESS (TRADEMARKS DATABASE):
http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/services/
HAGUE EXPRESS (INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS DATABASE):
http://www.wipo.int/hague/en/services/online_databases.html
ACCESSIBLE
INFORMATION AND
MEDIATION SERVICES

19. ABOUT THE SMES DIVISION
In October 2000, WIPO Member States endorsed a
proposal to establish a substantial new program of
activities, focusing on the IP related needs of SMEs
worldwide.
WIPO’s program of activities for SMEs aims to
encourage a more effective use of the intellectual
property system by SMEs worldwide.

20. ABOUT SMES
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
represent over 90 % of enterprises in most countries,
worldwide.
They are the driving force behind a large number of
innovations and contribute to the growth of the
national economy through employment creation,
investments and exports.

21. MAIN OBJECTIVES
WIPO’S SMEs DIVISION AIMS TO:
Promote a more active and effective use of the intellectual
property (IP) system by SMEs;
Strengthen the capacity of national governments to develop
strategies, policies and programs to meet the intellectual
property needs of SMEs (workshops, Seminars etc.)

22. MAIN OBJECTIVES
WIPO’S SME INITIATIVE AIMS TO:
Improve the capacity of relevant public, private and civil
society institutions, such as business and industry associations,
to provide IP-related services to SMEs;
Provide comprehensive web-based information and basic
advice on IP issues to SME support institutions worldwide.

23. SOME OF THE KEY ACTIVITIES OF THE
SMES DIVISION INCLUDE:
• Development of comprehensive and user-friendly
information products as: guides, CDs (IP PANORAMA)
and training packages
•
• www.wipo.int/sme/en/multimedia/
• Organization of training seminars for specific target
audiences (in partnership with relevant international or
national institutions (universities, business schools) and the
IP Offices)

24. IP FOR BUSINESS SERIE -
Free guides for
CUSTOMIZATION/TRANSLATION
WIPO-ITC
JOINT
PUBLICATIONS

25. SOME OF THE KEY ACTIVITIES OF THE
SMES DIVISION INCLUDE:
•Research and case studies on issues relating to the
business use of IP in various countries;
•Assistance to SMEs support institutions, such as
innovation centers, incubators, chambers of commerce,
R&D institutions and others, to establish IP-related
support services to their members and clients;

26. SOME OF THE KEY ACTIVITIES
OF THE SMES DIVISION INCLUDE:
 Publish new articles (updated information), case
studies and best practices targeted to entrepreneurs and
SMEs support institutions; and
 Circulation of a monthly electronic newsletter on
intellectual property for SMEs.
www.wipo.int/sme/en/documents/wipo_sme_newsletter.h
tml

28. THE IP ECONOMIC TOOLS for
a long-term and strategic Development of SMEs
Divided into six specific categories, as follows:
1. Patents (inventions and innovations)
2. Trademarks (Domain names) (distinctive signs)
3. Industrial Design
4. Geographical Indications and Appellations of Origin
5. Trade Secrets
6. Copyrights and related rights

29. WHAT IS A PATENT?
A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention,
which is a product or a process that provides, in
general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new
technical solution to a problem.
Note: During this seminar, we will develop in detail
the topics about Patents, Trademarks, Industrial
Designs and Geographical Indications.

30. WHAT DOES A PATENT DO?
A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the
patent. The protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20
years.
WHAT KIND OF PROTECTION
DOES A PATENT OFFER?
Patent protection means that the invention cannot be commercially
made, used, distributed or sold without the patent owner's
consent.

31. WHAT IS A TRADEMARK?
A trademark, trade mark, ™ or ® is a distinctive sign and in
general, the commercial way to identify products and services
proposed by companies.
A trademark is a type of industrial property which is distinct
from other forms of intellectual property.

32. WHAT IS AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN?
An industrial design is the ornamental or aesthetic
aspect of an article.
The design may consist of three-dimensional features, such as
the shape or surface of an article, or of two-dimensional
features, such as patterns, lines or color.

33. WHAT IS AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN?
Industrial designs are applied to a wide variety of products of
industry and handicraft: from technical and medical instruments
to watches, jewelry, and other luxury items; from housewares
and electrical appliances to vehicles and architectural structures;
from textile designs to leisure goods.

34. DESIGNS MADE IN AFRICA:
RWANDA
TOGO

35. WHAT IS A GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATION?
It is a sign used on goods that have a specific geographical
origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that
place of origin and/or where a product is manufactured.
Most commonly, consists of the name of the place of origin of
the goods:
Country, region, city
E.g. Coffee
In some countries : can also be figurative element
as the seal of Geneva
(often used for watches)

36. WHAT IS A GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATION?
SEE PRODUCTS MADE IN AFRICA:

37. WHAT IS
AN APPELLATION OF
ORIGIN?
Co-op Fairtrade South African Wines
(updated 2006):

38. WHAT ARE TRADE SECRETS
AND HOW ARE THEY PROTECTED?
Contrary to patents, trade secrets are
protected without registration.
Consequently, a trade secret can be protected
for an unlimited period of time.
Note: this topic will also be developed in details
during the seminar. See topic N°7

39. WHAT IS A COPYRIGHT?
Copyright is a legal term
describing rights given to any
creations and to their authors for
their creative works.

40. WHAT IS COVERED BY COPYRIGHT?
The kinds of works covered by copyright include:
Literary works such as novels, poems, plays,
reference works, Internet contents, web design,
designs, newspapers and computer programs;
databases; films, musical compositions, and
choreography;
Artistic works such as innovative handy crafts,
paintings, drawings, photographs and sculpture;
architecture; advertisements, maps and technical
drawings, exhibitions design and concepts etc.

41. For more information, go to: www.wipo.int/sme/en
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Mrs. Caroline Schwab - Program Officer - WIPO SMEs Division
caroline.schwab@wipo.int