WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation)

WIPO was established in 1967 as a specialized agency of the United Nations to promote the safeguarding of Intellectual Property through collaboration with other international organizations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international property rights system. Our prime focus here is on WIPO’s definition of Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) or, "expressions of folklore" which include music, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives.

Intellectual Property Needs and Expectations of Traditional Knowledge, Report on fact-finding Missions on Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge

WIPO 1998-1999
This Report presents information compiled by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from nine fact-finding missions conducted by WIPO in 1998 and 1999 on the intellectual property (IP) needs and expectations of holders of traditional knowledge (TK).

The Intellectual Property-Conscious Nation: Mapping the Path from Developing to the Developed

By Idris, Kamil and Hisamitsu Arai. WIPO 988 (E)
‘For many developing countries, the use of IP as one of their chief and most important policy tools would require a refocusing of national policies and strategies across the board’.

Intergovernmental Committee On Intellectual Property And Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge And Folklore

Fifth Session Geneva, July 7 to 15, 2003 by Maria Thereza Wolff
The Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (“the Committee”) has agreed on the development of a toolkit to provide practical assistance to TK holders and custodians of genetic resources who are faced with this challenge. The toolkit focuses on management of IP concerns during the documentation process, and also takes the documentation process as a starting point for a more beneficial management of TK as a community’s intellectual and cultural asset. This document reports on the development of the toolkit and the consultations held with stakeholders.

Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions/Folklore

WIPO/ GRTKF/ INF/ 1. WIPO. 2006.
This is one of a series of Booklets dealing with intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions/folklore

Understanding Copyright and Related Rights

WIPO 909 (E)
This booklet is intended to provide an introduction for non-specialists or new comers to the subject of copyright and related rights. It explains in layman’s terms the fundamentals underpinning copyright law and practice.

Intellectual Property and Traditional Cultural Expressions/Folklore

WIPO 913 (E)
This booklet identifies the key concepts, legal and cultural policy considerations and main legal options, based upon national, regional and international trends, relating to the protection of TCEs.

Consolidated Analysis of Legal Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions/Expressions of Folklore

WIPO 785 (E), WIPO. 2003.
This publication is part of a series of background papers dealing with IP issues in relation to genetic resources, TK, and TCES/folklore. It is intended to provide a comprehensive analysis of the policy issues that arise in the debate over improved IP protection of TCES/folklore, as an information resource for policy makers, negotiators, legislators, indigenous and traditional communities, users of TCES/folklore, researchers and others interested in exploring these issues in detail.

To read more, download the attached PDF document

Attachments:
Consolidated Analysis.pdf	459 Kb

Minding Culture: Case Studies on Intellectual Property and Traditional Cultural Expressions

WIPO 781 (E)
This publication, written for WIPO by Ms. Terri Janke of Australia, responds to the need for practical and empirical information and usefulness of the intellectual property system based on specific cases, by Indigenous Australians and legal and practical lessons learned there from.

National Experiences with the Protection of Expression of Folklore/Traditional Cultural Expressions - India, Indonesia and the Phillippines

WIPO/GRTKF/STUDY/1, November 25, 912 (E) WIPO, 2002.
‘The objectives of the Study were to examine how effective protection of folklore is being achieved in these countries so as to derive directions for future work in this field and also to assess the relevance of the Model Provisions already drawn up for framing legislation, in these countries.’

Intellectual Property Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage